Ashes
by DemonicXaliv
Summary: Almost 5 long years have passed in the blink of an eye. Punk's suppose to be moving on with his life, but when things start to fall apart he has to come back to pick up the pieces. Will he be able to get back what he left in the process? Or will all just crumble? Sequel to Crash and Burn. Previously named 'Not Yet Over'
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:  
_READ THIS!_**  
**This is a Sequel to my previous written story 'Crash and Burn'. Anyone reading this story who hasn't read that one I suggest it. But you won't be too lost if you haven't. There will be mentions and allusions to what happened in that story though. So just fair warning.**

**Those who have read 'Crash and Burn' this story starts almost 5 years after the end of 'Crash and Burn'. I would say more, but I don't want to spoil anything.**

* * *

How many times had he walked through the curtain? Went out to the crowds. Whether they hated him or loved him it always brought that same thrill. The energy that would resonate through those filled arenas. His only addiction, besides maybe caffeine. And he was about to go cold turkey.

The music hit.

He walked out. A mic already in his hands. Fans screaming with anticipation of what he was gonna say. Waiting for what the man named as 'Voice of the Voiceless' would say. He already knew it would not be anything they expected.

He had planned this for that few months...well actually years. He had thought about what he would say, what he would do. How he would feel when it was finally time. If anyone would even care. It haunted his mind since he entered the company..._Just how would he be leaving it?_

He raised the mic to his lips. Opening his mouth...he was voiceless. He took in that fact. His mind reeling with the information. He moved the mic from his mouth a small chuckle in his throat. He ran a hand over his face. Was he really this pathetic?

He thought this was gonna be a lot easier. Just a couple years back he thought he would be dropping a pipe-bomb bigger than that moment in Vegas, an act that still followed him in his career. He could say whatever he wanted. After all he was leaving so what would he care if management got pissy for his words.

They didn't even have him come up with a script of what he would say tonight. At this moment he almost wished they had. At least then he would have something to actually say.

The voices around started to die down silence beginning to take over the arena. Fans questioning his on going silence. It was now, he couldn't wait any longer. He sucked in a breath and let it out. Raising the mic back to his lips...

"OK, I have to honest about what I'm about to say. I know many of you won't like, but this is something I feel I have to do...And that is...I'm leaving." Even though the news he was delivering set a wave of questioning and disappointed moans, he had a smile. He smiled cause people actually cared. He thought many times that he would leave to a silent arena. That his leaving wouldn't mean anything to those who he had spent his life entertaining.

"I know this is kinda shocking. But I've said before that I don't want to reach that age or become so injured that I can't have a life after this. No offense to some of the others guys." Punk could already feel tears stinging his eyes. He rarely cried and he almost never cried in front of anyone. Yet he was about to break down in front of the thousands in the arena and the millions watching in their home.

"Wrestling has been my life. Even before I entered this company! Even before I was wrestling in the Indy circuit! I was a fan! I was like all of you." Punk said. He ran a hand over his face again trying to gather his thoughts and composure back on track.

"I've accomplished more than I ever thought I would. Held almost every title...I say almost cause they never let me compete for the Divas title." Punk held a straight and serious face for a moment, but it fell to a laugh. The joke made more for him to lighten the tension he felt.

"I made a lot friends, a few enemies, and had the time of my life competing in this ring." Punk looked down at the mat. Most nights he would see his wrestling boots, but tonight it was just regular worn sneakers.

He took a deep breath and let go in a sigh. "I thought this would easier." He said glancing to the techs by the ring side. "Anyone who remembers the first pipe-bomb I set off. In was in Vegas, on that stage." His eyes looked up at the place that started the major change in his career. "And not long after that I left. My held high after taking the WWE Championship for the first time in my career...It was easy to leave then. I felt that this company had thrown me to the side for so long. How no matter how many accomplishment I had made back then it was still for nothing...It isn't that easy this time."

"Part of me thinks it would be easier to stay. Compete until I can't and then just move to commentary. I'd become the new voice of the WWE-" Punk's words cut off as a cheer carried through the room. He put on a innocent smile looking to Micheal Cole and Jerry Lawler, "Sorry, Cole." He said plainly before turning back to the crowd.

"...I have missed a lot of over opportunities because of this career. I have been beaten to hell and back multiple times. And I still wouldn't trade my time for the world..."

Punk smoothed a hand over his hair. Normally he could speak so easily. Just let his mouth run without letting his thoughts get in the way. Now his jumbled thoughts were dominating his mind. His words getting jumbled in the process as he sorted out what he should say next.

He wasn't going to suffer alone though. The up beat music rang through the speakers. His eyes going to the ramp. Fans cheering for her appearance. On earlier occasions he'd get pissed off how someone would come out while he was trying to talk. But it was her...He could never hate her.

She came down the ramp slowly, not skipping as she did for the past years. She looked to him and the crowd, giving a sad smile. Never was he one to like pity, or accept it. But the small smile she gave he felt himself relax.

He looked her over as she stepped up the to the ring. The Divas title around her tiny waist. It made a smile come to his face. He was always so proud she had gotten that opportunity. She had come so far from her time on NXT. Come so far since he saved her from Daniel.

She stepped towards him. Punk watched as she reached out.

He dropped the mic to the ground. He reach out, wrapping his arms around her body. She did the same. He pulled her close, not caring of how the title poking into his body hurt slightly. He could not remember the last time he felt her body against him. He didn't want to let go of it.

"Thank you." He whispered into her ear. Her body shook lightly for a moment, with a short silent laugh. Their arms wrapping tighter around one another's bodies.

The tears were beginning to build again. Looking down at AJ he could already see the trails of dried tears she had tried to wipe away. He smiled with relieve. At least he wasn't the only one.

They stay like that for a long time. Fans who had been active supporters of their relationship shouted with glee. Some stupid comments, like telling Punk to grab her ass. The remainder held their tongues in still silence as they watched the serene moment.

His own music rang again.

They pulled away from one another slightly looking to the titantron.

Fear was welling up again in Punk's stomach. He wasn't ready to go just yet.

Punk's jaw literally dropped as the wave of superstars and divas came out, filling the stage. Those he had feuded with. Those he had befriended. Those he hardly knew. He was shocked. Most of these people he thought he had pissed off so much that they would happy to see him gone. Some part of him think that was probably why some of them had come out.

He didn't care though. Tears continued to well in his eyes again. He blinked them back to force composure.

Kofi was first to break away from the large group. He walked down the ramp going inside the ring.

AJ stepped away as the two men embraced on another. She smiled lightly, but had to advert her eyes. Knowing if she watched that should would break into tears again. She looked to the ramp. Sheamus and Kaitlyn were walking down with their little daughter. The small child tugged at the hands of her parents as they moved towards the ring. John following close behind them.

They all gathered in the ring as well.

Sheamus and Punk hugged first. Sheamus panted Punk's back lightly. Both could feel the muscular structure of the other in their hold.

"Gonna miss you fella." Sheamus whispered to him.

Punk made a small smile, "Thanks."

Before they pulled away Sheamus had a few other words to tell Punk, "She still cares about you."

Punk only smiled in response. He didn't want to get his hopes up. He knew what the Irish man was trying to do. Punk had thought about that road many times, but he never dared the risk of taking it again. It was near 2 years since he had veered off that road.

Sheamus stepped away allowing Kaitlyn to step forward.

She wrapped her arms around his center as his wrapped around her shoulders. His head resting against her's lightly. "Keep an eye on her...for me." Punk whispered to her.

"She doesn't need me." Kaitlyn said softly. Her tone holding that tone of '_do you even know what you're saying_'. A tone she used a lot when talking with Punk.

Their hug was cut short by the small child tugging at them to gain their attention. Pulling apart they looked down to the young girl. Punk crouched down a large smile taking over his features. Giving her his full attention to her now.

"Am I still gonna see you uncle Punk?" She asked sweetly, swaying lightly as she stood. A tiny pout on her small lips. Her small hands touching his bent knees.

"Of course, sweetheart." Punk said placing his hands on her sides. He pulled her closer. His large arms enveloping her body in an embrace. Her own tiny arms circling his neck, planting a tiny kiss to his rough cheek.

"I love you."

"I love you too." Punk seamlessly replied. He kissed her cheek. Pulling away from her slightly he studied her features. Big blue eyes wide with innocence. Fire red locks that had grown long with the years since her birth. The small amount of freckles peppered over her tiny nose. She looked a lot like her father. Only she didn't have a skin pigment that rivaled vampires, thank god. He gave one more kiss to her forehead before he stood straight again.

Instantly, his eyes locked with a man he had known for some time. They had fought numerous times. Both as an on-screen feud and backstage disagreement. They had been strangers, acquaintances, enemies, friends...In all of their history, no matter what, they always held respect for one another.

John held out his hand. The ever-present smile on his face dimmer tonight.

Punk grasped the out stretch hands. A short shake of hands, but neither pulled back. Both knowing what their guts were telling them to do. Both waiting for the other to make the first move.

In silent agreement they took moved together. Their hand shake turning into a hug. John's arms wrapped around his body. While Punk's barely circled his large frame.

"So who ass will I kick now?" John joked lightly. A small crack in his voice giving away his sadness for the lose of his long time rival.

Punk pulling away from John with a raised brow. "Think you're a little backwards there John-boy. It's, who's gonna kick my ass now." Punk corrected a smile spreading over his face. His previous nervousness forgotten with the people around to support him.

His eyes returned to AJ standing in the back trying not to cry. She had watched him hug their friends one-by-one. Obviously watching it all happen had caused her to break down some as the tears trailed down her cheeks, more gathering in her eyes. He opened his arms for her, reaching out. Waving her to come to him. She might as well have ran as she barreled into his chest.

A thought entered his mind as he hugged her body. Trying to memorize the feel of her form against his own.

_'Was it really over?'  
_

* * *

**A/N:**  
**Don't kill me!**  
**If it wasn't obvious I'm just gonna say that AJ and Punk have broken up already.**  
**I had thought of two ways for starting this sequel. Either happy AJ and Punk were still together possibly getting married or having a kid. Or the not so happy that they broke up. I went for the second just cause it was more realistic and less corny.**** Just don't kill me for it! This is still AJPunk!  
Please Review!  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:  
Some people got a little confused with first chapter. And I do apologize, but with the time skip they're are some plot holes. BUT that's what this story is for.  
**

* * *

Punk's announcement had been the last segment of the night. And he still wasn't ready to leave yet.

He also wasn't the only one either.

The crowd was still chanting 'Thank you Punk!'. Even though the arena should be clearing at this point.

The superstars and divas, that might as well have been his family, still lingering backstage. Gathered in catering for final goodbyes to the Straight-Edge superstar.

One diva in particular still holding onto him. He tried remembering the time that this would have been normal. Back when his gut didn't churn with regret. Back when they were still together.

He hugged her close none the less. She held on just a tight. Neither willing to let go...If only they had been like this before.

Even as other members came up and wished him well in whatever he decided to do. She stayed glued to his side. He was glad she was cause he would have broken to pieces without her.

Punk shook hands with Randy Orton. Smiling lightly to a man. They had both never been close. They had never considering each other as a friend. But just like with John there was respect. Something undeniable and went even further than friendship in Punk's eyes. The Apex Predator walked off meeting up with John on the other side of the room.

"Now this is a sight for sore eyes." The voice sounding smug and righteous as always came from behind the two.

Punk and AJ both turned to look at Daniel Bryan. Punk could feel AJ's arms wrapped around his waist tighten slightly.

Back over 4 years ago Daniel had terrorized them both. Before Punk and AJ had gotten together and after. Daniel had done everything in his power to get them to break up and to get the WWE title from Punk...He didn't succeed, but he got close to it.

"What do you want Daniel?" AJ hissed at the man. Her ability to stand up to him had grown with time. And even though she was nervous in his presence most wouldn't know the difference.

Punk smirked as he looked at Daniel's annoyance. He never could handle when AJ stood up to him.

"Just wishing Punk luck in all his_ future endeavors_." Daniel replied trying to regain his smug persona. Though his eyes still focused on AJ rather then Punk.

"AJ, can you find Paul? I need to talk to him before I go." Punk asked. He didn't want AJ to go exactly, but he didn't want her around for what he was about to do. AJ silently and reluctantly detached herself. She glanced over her shoulder a couple times, but Punk waved at her to keep going.

The very moment she was out of sight Punk had Daniel pressed into the wall. Pressing his forearm into the man's neck. Just lightly enough so he wouldn't be choking the man, but damn close to it. "I'm gonna say this once and only once, so you better listen carefully." Punk's low and cold tone threatening. He applied a little more pressure just to make sure he had Daniel's attention.

"Retired or not, if I hear one thing about you even going near AJ. I'll come back...And I'm gonna do a lot more than just kick you ass." Punk showed a smile that was more menacing that his glare. Punk stepped back releasing the man. A satisfied smile as he scurried off without a word.

"You know if you weren't leaving you could have been fined or fired." An amused voice said from behind.

Punk turned again. Seeing Triple H, or rather Paul Levesque. His eyes looking around for the diva he had sent after the man.

Paul noticed easily and put his mind to ease. "She got caught by Skylar. Apparently they're gonna be giving you some sort of party?" Paul said questionably. Not sure of what the small group of co-workers and friends had planned for the departing man.

"Mostly forcing me to have a party. Never been a fan of them. But I guess I'm not really doing it for myself." Punk said. "So, my last day. Gonna miss me?"

"Oh you mean am I gonna miss having a pain in the ass, ego centric, pipe-bomb dropping, jackass?" Paul questioned a small chuckle in his voice. "Yeah, I just might." He admitted. Extending his hand the two men shook their arms lightly.

"Knew you would." Punk said not even hiding his smug tone. "Good thing I didn't leave the last time, seriously what would you have done with out me?"

"I think we could have managed. Though we wouldn't have had all the changes you made." Paul assured releasing his hand.

"Thank god I did then." Punk said. Both men letting out a laugh to cover over their nervousness. "OK, I know your daddy-in-law isn't around to do this, but surly you can do something half way dencent." Punk said, both of them knowing what he was asking for.

"Punk you aren't being fired, you're retiring." Paul sighed. "If wanted me to say that then you should have let us know sooner so we could have done the angle for you."

"Guess you're right." Punk sighed. "Just I never really thought I'd be leaving like this. So peacefully with people actually cheering my name."

"You didn't think anyone would care." Paul simplified.

"Not one." Punk said in simple agreement.

"Guessing you didn't think she would either." Paul said pointing to AJ who was running up to them.

"Punk! Are you ready to go? Sky really wants cake." AJ said a small nervous smile on her face. She looked anxious as she bounced on her feet. Both men knowing it wasn't just Skylar who was ready to get out of there and have cake.

"I'll be there soon, promise." Punk said smiling lightly to her as she went off. "I didn't even think we'd be able to talk to each other."

"Seriously you act as if you cheated on her." Paul said rolling his eyes.

Punk remained silent. What had happened with him and AJ was taboo. Something neither spoke of. Yet someone everyone knew why they had broken up and how.

"Good luck, Punk." Paul said giving a last pat to his back.

"Yeah...Thanks." Punk answered giving a brief smile before heading towards the garage.

* * *

Punk was somewhat right about the idea of the party. He had never been a fan, but he didn't actually mind. His friends had taken in his straight-edge life style and nixed out any ideas of having alcohol. Especially since they were holding this party at Punk's house and he refused to allow it even if they tried.

That didn't seem to stop his friends from still acting like fools. Zack was trying to serenade Skylar who in her naive age actually didn't mind the horrid sound of his off key notes. Colt was foolishly challenging John to a string of arm wrestling contests. The only ones he had actually won was when someone had helped him.

Though Punk was probably only having a good time because AJ had curled up into his side and fallen asleep next to him on the couch as they attempted to watch a movie. Kaitlyn and Sheamus on the other side of the couch sharing knowing glances for Punk's predicament that he forced himself to ignore.

He still couldn't shake away the obvious knowledge that this had been the most comfortable he felt since their break-up. Cause right now it didn't feel like they were broken up.

_'Maybe..._' Punk shook his head of the time of thought quickly. He had tried to stop thinking like that a long time ago, but with the recent change of his life...He guessed he was just trying to see if there was one thing he could hold on to.

That was all he was doing. Trying to grasp at one thing, so he wouldn't be giving up everything he had once loved...But they were still friends. And they would still be friends after he left. Nothing could change that fact. After breaking up they had tried avoiding one another and cutting out all communication...

To say the least...It just didn't work.

* * *

_"You look like crap." The comment was crude, crass, but wasn't wrong at all. Kaitlyn wasn't holding back any with it when she said it to the man. He had stopped shaving and his bread was starting to become more wild than Daniel's._

_"You've look worse." Punk replied hoarsely. In his mind remember moments of the blond woman's pregnancy and first few months as a new mother._

_"Cute, Punk." Kaitlyn stated not even fazed by the insult. Plus she knew her next sentence would make him a little more attentive to what she had to say, "AJ misses you too, ya know." It wasn't a question. It was a statement._

_A statement that just like she believed got Punk's attention fully on her. _

_"She doesn't look much better right now." Kaitlyn said. "Why can't you both just admit you need each other?"_

* * *

Kaitlyn had been right that day. They did need each other. But, of course, her words hadn't gotten the result everyone had been hoping for.

Rather than re-starting their relationship. AJ and Punk decided they would go back to their friendship. Which would be how they remained even to this day. Never as close as they once were, but satisfied with the other being in their life.

Just because he still loved her didn't matter. Even if she still loved him. They had been down that road and failed. Punk was unwilling to risk it. Were he to try and fail. Then, what would become of the friendship that had become a need for their very survival?

His arm wrapped tighter around her sleeping body. '_We just aren't meant for each other._' Punk tried to convince himself.

* * *

**A/N:**  
**For anyone who just wants to them to get together[both in the story and on-screen], well it ain't gonna happen over night...Or in a couple of chapters.  
This story is not only have the current, but flashes of the past. Flashbacks aren't in any sort of order and they'll come as needed really.  
Next Chapter will have some focus on AJ...And what plan have their friends created to force the two to realize their feelings?  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:  
I didn't update too long ago, but I really like this chapter.**

* * *

_Punk couldn't believe his eyes._

_Surrounded in darkness, standing what seemed like eternity away. AJ and Daniel's bodies pressed together, their tongues swirling in a sloppy mess. It didn't look like a kiss it looked like they were sucking the face off the other._

_The image was disgusting to say the least. Even more than that, it was heart-breaking._

_"AJ!" He called out her name. He wanted to know why she would be kissing that man. How could she could even stomach it. Because Punk wasn't having much luck in that area from watching it._

_They pulled apart looking over to Punk._

_AJ's eyes looked over. Punk could see the gleam of lust she once held for him as she looked on none aware that she was slowly killing him. She didn't even say anything. Her eyes looked so glazed over that she might have seemed possessed. _

_"With you gone now me and AJ can be together." The voice of Daniel echoing in the darkness._

_"What are you talking about?!" Punk snapped. His fists clenching tight._

_"AJ loves me. But you were in the way..." The words continued to echo. _

_Ringing in Punk's ears he felt sick. _

_"That's not true." Punk hissed. _

_"It is..." This time it was AJ._

_He watched in horror as their kiss began again. _

_"AJ!" "AJ!" "AJ!"_

Punk desperately called her name hoping she would just look at him.

"Punk!"

Punk jolted away. His eyes locking into AJ's worried gaze. He sighed with some relief. He looked around the room regaining his barrings.

He was still on the couch in his living room. Sweat was drenching his t-shirt. He didn't even have a blanket on.

He looked at AJ's eyes. "Sorry...nightmare." He said running a hand over his hair.

"Punk...you were calling my name." AJ said. Her gentle hand touched his face. Wiping away some of the sweat. "Why don't you take a shower? Celeste, Amy, Skylar and I are making breakfast."

Punk nodded lightly. "Yeah...wait. Kit, Amy, Skylar, and you...Are making breakfast?" Punk asked a little tense on the matter.

"One time!" AJ said knowing he was remembering a time when she and Amy had made an utter mess of the kitchen with nothing eatable to show for it. "Kofi's helping us anyway." AJ huffed crossing her arms over her chest.

"Sorry." Punk chuckled. "I'm gonna go take that shower." He pushed off the couch. He groan as he moved. Sleeping on the couch and in an awkward position had been unforgiving on his muscles. He could feel the aches and pains as he stretched his limbs.

"You gonna be OK? Or should I get a walker?" AJ joked as she watched his slow movements.

"Cute. You fell asleep on the couch also. Can't tell me you aren't a little sore." Punk groaned. Rolling his neck he heard a small crack from the movement.

"Not as much as you." AJ answered. The smirk on her face so similar to his own.

"You know, you used to be a lot nicer." Punk said. He regretted the words the moment they left his mouth. Hidden fear rising that he may stir the pot of their memories.

"Aww, come here." AJ pulled him down giving a kiss to his cheek. "All better?"

Punk blinked. His mouth run dry and slightly gaped with shock. Was he still dreaming?

"AJ! Get in here before it burn!" The yelled from the kitchen sounded.

AJ was off without another word. But Punk was still able to catch the pink tinge on her cheeks before she left to the kitchen.

Punk only shook his head. He was just imagining things. He trying to come up with things in his mind. A reason for him to grasp at his past...But why couldn't he?

"I did something bad." AJ said nervously surrounded by the other women...and Kofi.

"Don't tell me you jumped his bones. Cause if you did I'm not sitting on that couch." Kaitlyn said defiantly.

"No!" AJ cried out. Shocked that her friend would even suggest that...Even more shocked at how disappointed they all became. "Just why should I be 'jumping his bones'?" She said making sure to keep her words PG as possible knowing Skylar was sitting right there.

"Cause you love uncle Punk." Skylar said without hesitation.

AJ's jaw literally dropped as she stared at the young ginger girl sitting on the counter. No one had told her what to say...at least as far as she had seen. "OK, what have you people been telling her?" She said pointly looking at the older members of the room.

"Don't need to tell her something that anyone could see." Kofi said a wide smirk on his face.

"I hate you guys." AJ sulked resting her head on the counter.

Punk had told them two months ago he'd official be leaving. He wasn't gonna leave with a some sort of gimmick either like last time. He was gonna go out say his peace and be done. So they watch him compete in his last match.

SummerSlam...The same PPV he left with years before. He faced Daniel Bryan...no title, just a feud between two men that have not gotten along since their most momentous feud that she had been involved in.

In the build up there was no mentions to any fans that this would be Punk's last match. Punk had chosen Daniel to feud with. Neither held a title. But that didn't matter to the fans. Punk and Daniel easily stole the show. Punk had won which only made the match better in the opinion of the geeky diva.

AJ still wasn't settled with the idea of not having Punk's presence backstage or on the road. She had come into her own as diva, but he had always been there giving her support and advice...She could really survive with him. Would she even know how?

She held her tongue though. This wasn't something she could not be selfish about. Was she even allowed to tell him to stay. She hadn't even told him she would miss him. She was too afriad of what might spew from her lips should she even be given the chance.

"AJ!"

She jolted at the yell of her name. Looking to Amy who had been calling her name for minutes, not that AJ knew that.

"Sorry...I think I need some air." AJ said.

"When do you leave for the house shows?" Kaitlyn asked.

"I took the week off...Weren't you going to also?" AJ gave her friends curious looks.

They had planned to at least that's what AJ had believed. Kofi, Zack and John couldn't, but Sheamus and Kaitlyn had said they wanted a week off from their traveling so they could spend time as a family.

"Oh yeah, Sheamus couldn't get off so we're leaving tonight." Kaitlyn said. The innocent smile on her face no doing anything to hide her evil intentions.

AJ looked to Amy silently praying the woman would tell her that she'd be around.

"I have to get back to Adam and Emily." Lita said looking forlorn that she couldn't stay, but that small twinkle in her eyes told AJ otherwise.

"You planned this?!" She hissed in a low whisper. "You can't just force us to get back together. We discussed a long time ago that we were better off as friends." AJ crossed her arms and puffed her cheeks out as she held air in protest to their scheme.

"Oh yes cause that works out so well." Kaitlyn said with a roll of her eyes. She lifted Skylar off the table and left the room to go wake the 'Great White'.

"It was!" AJ whined.

"Do you even realize what you just said? 'It was' doesn't that mean it isn't working anymore?" Lita questioned.

AJ's shoulders slumped slightly, but she wasn't saying anything. She knew her mouth would vomit, but she thought it was gonna be with Punk.

"AJ, remember the last girl that tried to hit on Punk?" Kofi asked.

AJ gave a glare that Punk probably taught her. "Yes." She said coldly.

"Do you remember what you did?" Kofi questioned.

* * *

_They were out at a bar for the night. With the usual group minus Kaitlyn and Sheamus since they couldn't get a baby sitter for the night._

_AJ and Punk were stuck at the table watching their friends dance to the rhythm in their head rather than the beat of the room. Drink varieties of alcohol till their speech started to slur and that never stopped them from hitting on the various women at the bar. _

_"John's gonna be puking tonight." Punk deemed as he mentally counted the number of drinks the large men had._

_"I'll take John if you take Kofi. You're gonna have to hold back the dread locks." AJ sighed looking at the men._

_"AJ! Come dance with us!" Zack called from the crowd._

_AJ wasn't interested in joining them, but went anyway. She knew if she didn't that they would keep pestering her to anyway. She slid out of the booth leaving Punk alone._

_She danced with them for a few songs actually having a little bit of fun in the uncomfortable surrounding. Dancing with Zack and surround by their other wrestler co-workers made certain that she wouldn't have random men groping her. Really the best way to go dancing._

_Finally she slipped away after Zack got distracted by a woman. She giggled as she watch Zack hitting on woman before making her way back to the table. She couldn't see Punk because of a woman that was standing there._

_She didn't think much of it till she got closer. She could see the woman talking. Leaning forward slightly so Punk could get a few of her large and extremely fake assets. Her hand lightly touching Punk's arm, shoulder, back._

_AJ bit the inside of her cheek. Walking back to the booth she slid in without a word. Taking the seat on the other side of Punk to wear the woman stood, lightly cuddling up to Punk. And to her delight all of Punk's attention went to her instantly._

_"Have fun?" Punk questioned sliding the drink of pepsi he had gotten her closer to her._

_"Yeah, at least with Zack I know who's groping me." AJ joked. She noticed the woman still standing there. AJ smirked at the annoyance she displayed. "I see you made a friend." She said to Punk trying to throw the woman a bone...Of course that bone was on a fishing line and already being reeled in._

_"Wha? Oh yeah, Christine-"_

_"Crystal!" The woman corrected. Even more annoyed, but she wasn't gonna lose to some child. "So, do you wanna dance?" Focusing her attention back on Punk._

_"Punk doesn't dance." AJ said quickly not giving the time for Punk to reject the woman himself._

_"Well how about a drink?" Crystal not even trying to hide the annoyance in her voice._

_"He doesn't drink. Plus he has a pepsi already." AJ interjected again. A pleased smile on her face as she leaned across the table and snatched some of the french fries they had gotten._

_"Well then maybe you just wanna go back to my hotel." Crystal flirtatious hand attempted to grace Punk's thigh._

_But he caught the hand before it was caught by Punk. "I'm a designated driver. I can't leave AJ to deal with over 400 pounds of drunk men." Punk answer for himself this time._

_"Hey! None of us are over 400...Big Show isn't even here!" Zack corrected. The men returning to the booth for a small break of food. _

_"Combined you idiots weigh more than Big Show." Punk shot back at the drunken Zack. He wasn't paying attention though since he was shoveling food in his mouth. _

_"AJ'd get squashed." Kofi laughed lightly nudging the tiny girl._

_"I'm not that small!" AJ said feeling mildly insulted. Even if it was true they didn't have to say it._

_"OK, no picking on AJ." Punk said wrapping a defensive arm around AJ's shoulders. She moved closer to his body. "Even if we could all bench press more than her." He joked._

_AJ pulled away from him slapping his chest in annoyance. "Punk!" She cried. She could see his large smile as he laughed it was contagious as a smile of her own spread over her lips. "You know you all suck." She said with a huff. _

_AJ's small eyes glanced over to where Crystal had been standing. She was long gone, but none of them had noticed. Even more enjoyable was Punk hadn't noticed. AJ settled in her seat in silence with a smile._

* * *

"Yeah, so I saved Punk from some bimbo hitting on him? It means I'm his friend." AJ said simply.

"No, you were jealous. And you knew Punk didn't care about the woman, but you rubbed it in her face." Kofi said pointedly.

"Oh how would you know, you were drunk that night." AJ got up from her seat and left the room to go find something else to do than have her friends force her back into a relationship.

A relationship she was too afraid to return to.

* * *

**A/N:**  
**AJ and Punk are gonna be forced to spend some quality time together...what of their past will be revealed and what it is say for their future?  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:  
Sorry for the wait and I know the chapter is short, but I'll have more soon hopefully.  
**

* * *

Punk sat down. AJ, right next to him. A look of defeat and embarrassment as she looked at the floor. He sighed looking forward at the television that had nothing particularly interesting on the screen. " They planned this didn't they." Punk said.

"Yep."

"They tricked you didn't they." Punk assumed as much. He didn't think she would actually agree to spend these first days of her own accord.

"Not tricked exactly. It was more like they omitted their plans." AJ sighed.

"You know you don't have to stay AJ. You can go back to work. Or you can take the week off and do whatever." Punk said. He voice mildly dejected and he could only it wasn't screaming, 'Don't leave'...Maybe saying it, but hopefully not enough to sound desperate.

"NO!" AJ yelled. Startling Punk as she quickly looked up turning her body. "I'm not just gonna leave you on your first week of retirement. You shouldn't be alone. And I'm still pissed at everyone else for not staying." She spoke.

Punk could tell she was not lying about being pissed. The anger in her voice and the fire in his only made him envision of the ideas she wanted to do them. Probably less violent than the ideas she was actually having. Still there was a question that needed to be answered.

"Are you pissed just cause they left me or cause they left you alone with me?" Punk couldn't blame himself for asking or her for going silent with shock. This would be the first time they had been alone since...

* * *

_7 months past since AJ and Punk had decided to continue thier friendship after the break-up._

_Punk had come knocking on AJ's hotel room door. And even though she wasn't sure why he had come she let him in. She didn't know why he looked like a kid that had gotten a new toy or had just heard he'd be meeting his hero. A sight both of them had seen numerous times at autograph signings and events._

_"Punk, just what did you need to see more?" AJ asked not able to keep a chuckle from her voice when she looked at Punk's comical grin._

_"I talked with Vince-" He started._

_"Oh god you're turning heel again. Not against John, please. Seriously you two feud enough off-screen." AJ sighed._

_"April, this wasn't about me." Punk corrected._

_"Then what?" AJ questioned not sure what he was doing. Crossing her arms giving a questioning glare._

_"You...Are getting a diva's title shot." He informed. He watched her eyes opened wide and the crossed arms fell to her side. "Plus I know you can't stand Vickie. And the fact she even has the title is upseting." He added._

_"You did that for me?" AJ asked with disbelieve._

_"You deserve a title shot. They enhanced your character when you were GM, but with that over they hardly ever are giving you matches. Plus now you can finally get back at Vickie for all the shit she did." Punk explained to her._

_AJ's answer was to jump into his reactive arms. He hadn't expected it so much, but he was able to catch her. And he was even more surprised when their lips collided. But he didn't fight it rather he kissed her back._

_And it didn't end there..._

* * *

"Punk that was years ago." AJ said. Still there was a blush on her cheeks as she remembered every gory detail of the exchange. She had been so elated at the time she never thought of what was wrong about it. It had made there exchanges awkward for a while, but as soon as she won the title all the excite from her first Diva title rein made them forget the event...At least on the surface.

"AJ...We stopped hanging out one on one because of it." He reminded. Neither had trusted themselves alone with the other, so any time they were about to one or both of them would find a way out of it.

"I'm not just gonna leave you." AJ said defiantly crossing her arms.

"Fine, it's your decision. I only have one more question." Punk said turning his body to face hers.

"Shoot." AJ said a small smile coming to her face as he didn't argue her stand.

"We're gonna be together...Just you and me for one week." He said explaining the situation she already knew, but he wanted to stress his point. "What happens when we find we can't be friends without all those old feels coming up?" Punk questioned.

AJ digested the word turning her body back to face the TV. "I don't want to think about what we'd do." She answered or rather avoided an answer.

* * *

They settled to watch TV in silence for most of the day.

Punk could hardly focused on it at all. AJ might not have wanted to think about the consequences of giving into desire, but it was the only thing he could think of.

He knew it was a risk. He knew this week would be make or break. Three things could happen.

First, he could go on normal and pretend nothing was wrong. They would stay friends and that would be it.

Second, he could try to push and make her see that he wanted more than just friends. And it could make her run. Then he wouldn't have to worry about even being friends with her.

Third, similar to the second he could make her see that he wanted to be more than friends. And in this scenario she would admit to wanting the same thing. And they could try to rekindle their flame. Whether it would last would be just as uncertain as when they first tried.

Punk knew one thing. No matter the consequences he needed to try. He needed her.

* * *

**A/N:**  
**Punk's made his decision, but just how will it work out for him? And just how will he make AJ fall for him all over again?  
[Sorry the chapter is short and semi-filler, but I wanted to add something.  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:  
Long wait, sorry. Writing outside the wrestling is a little more difficult than I anticipated, but I like a challenge.**

* * *

Walking into the pub AJ could not feel more out of place. And she looked it also. Punk just strode in with confidence, but of course they were in his hometown. At least he had some hometown advantage that he knew where he was. AJ was still not amused that they asked to see her id before they would let her enter.

She looked over her shoulder glaring back at the security guard. "Stupid, muscled-headed jerk." she muttered under her breath.

Punk chuckled. Grabbing her hand he guided her to the pool tables. Lucky for them the pub wasn't crowded at all. "Stay here...And quit giving the man the stink eye." Punk scolded.

AJ stayed at the pool tables, but she didn't stop glaring at the man. Almost five years and people still acted as if she was a child. Granted she didn't look much different. She was a little taller, but her body still petite and still young looking for her age. For once she'd like to not have to show I.D. just to prove she was over 21.

"You know glaring at him isn't gonna change anything." Punk chuckled. Coming back he passed her a pepsi.

AJ turned her attention the glare falling from her face as she looked at the pepsi in Punk's hand and the one he had given her. "I thought you quit soda?" She questioned curiously.

"I'm not wrestling on a day to day basis. I think I deserve to let up on the dieting some." Punk said taking a satisfying sip. He didn't even get diet.

AJ took a sip of her own. Her eyes curiously looking at the pool table. "I've never played this." She said looking at the green on the table and the balls already scattered around like someone had started playing, then walked away.

"I know, which is why we're gonna play." Punk said. He passed his own drink to her own hand. He started going around the table grabbing the different number and colored balls and pulling them inside the triangle mold.

"I don't think this is fair." AJ pouted. She and Punk decided they would each choose something to do. Since it was Punk's retirement she gave him first choice. But there was also the reason that even though she had been to the city numerous times she never had seen much of it. During the time she and Punk dated they hardly left his home...

* * *

_AJ felt more powerful straddling Punk. They were still fully clothed and the only exchange of fluids, at least so far. Was the saliva being passed back and forth making a mixture of both of their natural tastes. Along with saliva they were also fighting over a piece of gum. Just when one thought they had it, the piece would be stolen again. _

_Punk's hands rest on her hips. Punk growled in his throat as she swiped away the gum again. Really the simple option would just be to get another piece of gum. But where was the fun in that?_

_He dipped his tongue inside her mouth. His tongue collided with her own. She swirled her tongue around his. Touching the more sensitive bottom of his mouth. He moaned into her mouth forgetting all about the gum._

_"Oh god! Get a room." A rude voice interrupted._

_AJ pulled back from him blushing lightly as she tried to get off his lap, but Punk kept her there with hand tightened grip on her hips. She looked over her shoulder seeing Kaitlyn come in the room looking tired and sick. _

_Kaitlyn was in the 2nd trimester, making her way to third in only a few more weeks. Kaitlyn didn't seem to have any luck in her pregnancy. Even though morning sickness is said to last mostly only through the first trimester, Kaitlyn still ended up puking at all hours of the day. She had to a lot of vitamins and make a highly nutrient filled diet so she would still be able to gain enough weight. _

_Punk was sympathetic to Kaitlyn's trouble most of the time, but right now was not one of those times. "Can't you just go back to the bathroom? You're gonna be there in five minutes anyway." Punk sneered._

_"You know. If you aren't careful AJ's gonna be next." Kaitlyn sneered right back._

_It was hard to tell if AJ literally jumped off Punk's lap or Punk tossed her off. But they separated quickly. Punk was not keen on having any kids of his own, for now at least. And AJ wasn't sure how much she even wanted one at all seeing Kaitlyn's pregnancy._

_Just as Punk anticipated Kaitlyn had run off to the bathroom in five minutes, almost exactly._

_AJ would have been the good friend, tended to Kaitlyn and held her hair back while she vomited...But it was hard to do when your over 200 pound boyfriend pro-wrestler came on top of you and started ravaging your mouth all over again like they had never been interrupted. AJ moaned against his mouth digging her fingers against his scalp bring him in closer.-_

"AJ!"

The small diva realized then that she had drifted off into her memories. Her cheeks burned, whether from the memory or being caught aware she wasn't sure. But when Punk had called her name she jumped slightly back dropping the two drinks in her hands.

"Crap." She cursed beneath her breath. She had moved away enough that none of it had gotten on her. And also she had been standing far enough from the pool table so there wasn't any damage to the large expensive table.

"Don't worry about it." Punk said waving off her annoyance. "The cups are glass so at least nothing broke." He said lifting up the intact glasses.

"I'll go get new drinks." AJ said, her guilt only a partial reason she was volenteering. She quickly took the cups, her fingers tingling from the light brush of skin made with his. She turned to the bar hiding her blush as she walked away from him.

"Could we get two new pepsis?...I kinda spilled them." She said meekily.

The old bartender gave her a soft smile. He set two pepsis already made. "Don't worry sweetheart. I saw what happened, and don't worry about the spill either." He assured.

"Thank you. And I'm sorry." AJ said sweetly. She pulled out some change leaving the tip on the table before taking the drinks. She took slower steps not wanting to make more of a mess. She looked at the set up pool table. "So we're really gonna do this?"

"You don't get out of it just because you're clumsy." Punk told her. "Put the drinks on the table."

AJ did as he said. Taking a sip on her drink before turning back and walking over to the pool table again. She looked it over with apprehension.

"You've seen how to play right?" Punk asked. Most people knew from seeing it in old movies. Though really most just knew to the hit the white ball and try to hit one of the colored into the holes. That was all he was planning for. No use getting complicated on something they were only doing for fun.

"Ummm, sure?" AJ was still nervous. As she stepped closer.

"Do you wanna watch me break?" Punk asked.

"Break?" AJ questioned, her voice shrinking slightly. She was pretty sure he was talking about the game. But she hated that word.

Punk didn't notice. He set the ball in a triangle shape making it so they would stay that way without any help. Then to the other side he set the white ball lining it with the tip of the triangle. Taking the cue he aimed the shot against the white ball. Using the cue he hit the ball forward sending it to hit the group. The first hit started a chain and the balls bounced around hitting one another and the table sides, but none entered the hole.

"OK, ready to try?" He asked holding out the cue to her.

"Maybe I'd do better watching." AJ said still nervous.

"Come here." Punk ordered. When she did he guided her around the table.

AJ didn't know to tense or melt at Punk's touches. His hands guiding her into a proper position to make a shot. Even more distracting was the breath in her ear. But, by some miracle, she managed to focus.

"OK, hit the white ball toward the red one. It's close to the that hole in corner so you should be able to get it in." Punk directed.

"How hard to a hit it?" AJ looked at the pool cue nervous. She wasn't sure what made her more on edge now Punk or the idea of actually playing this game.

"All up to you."

AJ wrinkled her nose. How the hell would she know how hard to hit it? She went for it anyway. She winced thinking she had hit to hard. The white ball rolled across the table and instead of hitting the red ball it hit the wall. She slumped a little thinking she had failed to even hit the mark, but white ball continued to roll and hit an orange ball. A smile grew to her face as she watched the orange ball disappear down a side pocket.

She paused any celebration for a moment. Looking over at Punk, "That's good right?" She asked.

"Yeah, it's great." Punk said. He didn't sound excited. He was trying to find out how she managed that. He wrote it off as a fluke.

"Are you gonna do it now?" AJ asked holding out the cue for him to take.

"No, if you get one in then you keep playing. I'll take over when you miss." Punk explained watching AJ's large eyes take in the information.

She walked around the table getting a closer position to the white ball. She saw a green near another one of the pockets. Cautiously mimicking the position she had been in before she push the cue out hitting the white ball forcefully sending it across the table. She frowned again as the white ball hit the green ball, but it didn't go in. The green ball bounced of the impact hitting the white ball again. Both flew in two directions. The green ending up hitting the red ball and the white hit a purple both of the new balls falling into nearby pockets.

"I got two!" AJ cheered jumping lightly.

Maybe 'fluke' was the wrong word for it.

"That was so much fun!" AJ cheered almost jumping in the air as they walked down the street.

She smiled up at him. She noticed how he gotten sort of serious and a bit competitive when she keeping sinking the balls. She felt sorta bad, but she knew if she did bad on purpose then Punk would be more upset than if he actually lost. Still he was pouting. "Awww are you angry?" She teased.

"No. We had fun that's what matters." Punk said. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder bringing her closer to her body. Shielding her from the chill in the air. "So...let's go to the gym."

"Punk...you don't need to work-out every day." AJ said.

"I thought I got to choose all the activities today. And I say gym." Punk said defiantly.

"You're just afraid you'll get fat if you don't." AJ said back. She knew when he didn't respond she was right.

* * *

Punk and AJ spent three hours in the gym. They had not been disturbed once and it was kinda nice in AJ's opinion. But she could still see people pointing and starring. And she was pretty sure it was not because Punk was there. Rather because she was with Punk.

Not that Punk cared he had his headphone on and was blocking out the world. AJ did her best to do the same. Putting her own headphones in her ears she closed her eyes as she stepped on a treadmill.

She glanced over at Punk a few times. She liked watching his concentration. How his muscles flexed and how he moved. She moved her eyes forward focusing now on trying to get rid of her blush.

She increased the speed on her run. She glared at the treadmill wishing it would actually move so she could run away. The music from her head phones filled her head giving her a distraction from the man only feet away.

She keep running feeling her heart beat increase gradually as it pounded against her chest. She looked at her feet watching her steps knowing she had a tendency to trip even on the flattest of surfaces. She heard muffled sounds, but she only thought them to be the other gym members moving around. When the hand touched her shoulder she jumped falling back off the treadmill. And only lucky for her that whoever the person was they were able to catch her.

She regained her balance. Whipping around she glared at the man ripped the headphones out of her ears. "Are you insane!?" she snapped. She looked over the almost body builder type frame. It reminded her of John or Alex's body, though not as in shape as either of them.

"Being called insane from the woman known as a crazy chick." The guy mused a chuckle in his voice. "Hello, Josh." He introduced holding his hand out to her.

AJ looked at his hands questionably. "Didn't they tell you not to bother us?" AJ crossed her arms across her chest.

"Well I'm not here for an autograph." Josh said. A smile on his face still even as she denied his hand shake. "I wanted to meet April Mendez, not AJ Lee."

"Let's start with no one calls me April."AJ said. She glared at the man wanting him to get the hint and leave her alone.

"Fine, AJ. What brings you to Chicago?" Josh continued.

AJ rolled her eyes she didn't want to deal with this guy. Were all Chicago men born stubborn. But she didn't have a chance to answer before someone else answered for her.

"Not you." The voice smug and knowing. Both looked to Punk standing close by. He had a towel and using it to rid his skin of the building sweat. "She's not interested so why don't you go bother some one else."

AJ smiled at Punk even though he wouldn't notice. He had an uninterested and borderline threatening gaze on Josh. Her smile growing wider when Josh finally walked away. She smirked as Punk continued to watched Josh even waving good bye to the man.

"You OK?" Punk asked looking over at her finally.

"Yeah...So how do you know I wasn't interested in that guy?" She asked curiously.

"Besides the rolling of you eyes and the distance you kept?" Punk questioned.

AJ let out a small laugh. At least someone realized the cues she was giving. "Yeah besides those." She said.

Punk got a wicked smirk. A type of smirk that always sent shivers up her spine. He leaned in towards her, his breath grazing against her ear. "I know your type." If she didn't have years of practice she would have melted right there.

* * *

**A/N:**  
**Good start to their time together. Sorry if anyone got confused cause they haven't played pool before. Really I suck at it, but I still find it fun.  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:  
I know the chapter is short, but I know you all will like it...Well maybe not like it, but you'll enjoy it.  
**

* * *

_AJ watched with worry as Punk paced the room. Violently turning before he walked into the wall on either side of the room. She wasn't listening to Paul Heyman as he praised Punk's work. She was watching Punk's face. The fury and anger that seemed permanent etched into his features._

_She reached out as he passed her for the millionth time. Taking his hand gently. A small smile growing to her face since he actually stopped moving for that small moments. It faded soon though as Punk snatched his hand away and started his pacing again._

_She couldn't watch it anymore. She got to her feet and left the room. She stood outside the door. The loud praises from Paul silent now with the closing of the door. She closed her eyes waiting._

_She waited for what felt like hours before she realized Punk wasn't going to follow her. Tears trailed her cheeks as she walked away from the door._

* * *

AJ sighed as she remember the day. It had not been long after Daniel had moved on. Apparently him and Brie had started hooking up again. And despite all the hell Daniel had put her through AJ had been happy for them. She knew just from watching them backstage that Daniel would move the Earth if it made Brie happy. She also realized the reason she and Daniel would never work...Because she wasn't Brie.

She smiled at the thought. Brie was Daniel's world, they had even married just a year ago. Rumor was beginning to spread that Brie was pregnant even. AJ was happy for them...She would never be able to tell them. She still couldn't get rid of her fear of Daniel. It was too hard to forget. And Daniel didn't seem to care to try and make a bridge so they could become friends. But they could work together without issue. But they couldn't be together.

The reason she thought of Brie and Daniel was cause they actually reminded her of Punk and herself. They didn't do the same things they had, but when she and Punk had been together it had that same feel. Everyone told them they were perfect for each other. Punk had moved Earth in her mind to save her from Daniel...And save her from herself. And she did all she could for him.

She cursed the tears that started to form in her eyes. She had been doing well in forgetting all of those things. Well not forgetting, but more like pushing them away to furthest depths of her mind. She wanted nothing more than to be over it all, but she wasn't. She hadn't even been able to date since then. Her only relief was Punk never dated again either.

"AJ?" Punk nudged her leg lightly.

She looked at him carefully hoping he couldn't see the small tears in the dim lighting. She head using the arm rest as a pillow with her legs bent slightly so she wasn't touching Punk in his seat at the other end of couch. "Hmm?"

"You OK?" He asked.

"Yeah." She pushed up and turned her body. Letting her head rest on Punk's lap still facing the television as she laid on her side. She could feel his hands tangling in her hair. She suppressed a moan as his fingers massaged her scalp. A wry smile on her face. She always felt comfortable with Punk...She just didn't think she was suppose to anymore.

* * *

_"AJ...I'm sorry." Punk could feeling his heart breaking as he looked at AJ's eyes. The brown orbs being drowned in her tears. "I'm sorry." He repeated sincerely. His hand reaching out to her, but she pulled away._

_"I thought you were-...gonna be different..." AJ said lowly. Her voice breaking as she spoke._

_"I am!" Punk stressed. Moving closer to her. He felt some relief that she didn't pull away this time. When he touched her, she flinched. He cursed himself over and over as he pulled her into him._

_It kept coming back to this. He would hurt her emotionally and end up holding her until she cried herself to sleep...Just this time it wasn't all emotional. He didn't even know his body was doing it until his hand connected with her cheek. The same hand that was trying to comfort her now..._

_"I think we should break up." His mouth speaking the words he didn't really want to say._

_She pushed away from him. New tears forming in her eyes. "How can you say that?" She looked even more heart broken than before._

_"AJ...We can't keep doing this." Punk confessed. His heart and mind kept screaming at him to shut up, but his mouth was not listening._

_"What do you mean can't?" AJ questioned. Her hand gripping at his shirt._

_"I can't keep hurting you. You'd be better off if we weren't together." Punk said not looking at her. He couldn't. He didn't want to hurt AJ and he didn't want to break up...But he didn't see any other choice._

_"I'd be better off...Or do you mean you'd be better off?" Her voice filling with anger. She left him there storming out of the room not even bothering to gather her things..._

_He didn't follow her. He didn't call her name. He knew he wasn't suppose to..._

* * *

Punk could feel AJ's breath become steady as her breath warmed his leg. His hand still combing through her lock meticulously and unconsciously. It was something he liked to do. No reason for it, but he knew it calmed her. And even if she didn't want to admit it he knew she was upset.

It took a lot of maneuvering, but he was able to lift her into his arms. And she was still asleep. Her rhythmic breathing brushing across the skin of his neck as he carried her to the spare bedroom she had been sleeping in.

He laid her on the bed, covering her with a light curled up in the comfort of the mattress. Her hands tight fists as she held her arms close to her body.

He knew she was already sleeping peacefully. He still sat at the edge of the bed. His hand smoothing over the skin of her cheek in a gently caress. Gently massaging the area behind her ear. He didn't know why he was doing it. And he knew he shouldn't be doing it. But he wanted to...

* * *

**A/N:**  
**Revealing moments into some of the tension before and a glimpse of their break up. I decided to use the story line currently going on in the WWE some as a catalyst to their break up in what I'm going to refer to as "missing years".  
Anyway I hope you all enjoyed this and please review!  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:  
I love this chapter. I had so much fun with it. C: There is a bit of skipping around, but it should still be understandable  
**

* * *

_"Why do you keep saying that?!" AJ snapped at him._

_"AJ, you know being together right now is just hurting you!" Punk yelled back._

_"Then stop hurting me!" AJ snapped again._

_"I'm focusing on my career right now AJ. I don't have too many years left here." Punk sighed. Forcing himself to remain even though she was more pissed than he had ever seen. "I can't give you what you need right now. Maybe you should see someone else." Punk had to swallow the vomit in his mouth after saying it. He didn't know why he even suggested it cause he didn't really want her to._

_"I can't!" AJ snapped throwing one of the hotel pillows at him._

_"AJ, you can. Anyone would love to be with you." Punk didn't even know what he was saying anymore. It all sounded stupid to him yet he couldn't shut up._

_"I don't love anyone else!" AJ yelled again._

_If Punk's heart was broken before. Now it was shattered. He kept saying they should break up, but AJ still loved him. After all the shit he had pulled within the last months. And all the things he did that pissed her off. She still loved him._

_He cupped her cheeks in his hands pulling her to a kiss. It was light and gentle. Before it could get heated he pulled back. Giving another kiss to her forehead. "Good-bye, AJ." He said. He didn't deserve her._

_Those were the last words he said to her till after Kaitlyn came to him._

* * *

AJ hated to admit that he had been right back then. It was hurting her to see him torturing himself over his career. But she had been right too. She didn't love anyone else. And she hated that she couldn't.

"Punk...Punk get up." AJ nudged the sleeping man. Poking his face, arms, chest. He still hadn't budged a bit. She didn't know how his crushing weight fell asleep next to her, but he had turned over and half his body was laying on her...And as said before crushing her.

"Punk!" AJ whined. She paused her movements trying to figure out the best way she could get out of the situation...Her eyes drifting to his shoulder not far from her face.

"OW!"

Punk was up instantly. Rubbing the injured arm, he glared at AJ. "What was that for!?" He questioned.

"You were squashing me!" AJ aruged back.

"Not my fault your so tiny." Punk muttered. "OW! AJ, didn't we talk about biting."

"...I was pretty sure that time you liked it...And we were biting me." AJ countered. "Now get up! I have an idea that I wanna do today!" AJ order him. She already out of bed and trotting off to the bathroom.

Punk groaned throwing a pillow over his head and sinking into the sheets.

* * *

Punk was mildly surprised when they walked into the tattoo parlor. It wasn't his first time being there, but it he knew AJ had never been there before. He never thought she wanted a tattoo.

"You want a tattoo?" Punk questioned looking at her closely.

"No, we're getting a tattoo." AJ corrected.

Punk smiled. He had matching tattoos with people he was close to. Including his sisters for the tattoo behind his ear. "So what are we getting?" Punk asked.

"Hmmm, I have no idea." AJ said flashing a large smile. She seemed so clueless right now. Like a kid in a candy store who didn't know what to choose.

Punk gave a few seconds of thought. "I have an idea." He smiled.

"And that would be?" AJ questioned. She wasn't sure if she trusted his expression.

"Crazy Chick" Punk answered running a finger along the skin of her forehead.

"If you want me to tattoo Crazy across my forehead then you have to tattoo 'Property of AJ' on your ass." AJ shot at him giving a glare that said she wasn't kidding.

"Sure." Punk answered. His confident smile never breaking.

"Shut up!" AJ slapped his chest. There was no way she was getting 'Crazy Chick' tattooed on her body...At least not today.

"OK, I was kidding. How about your first label, 'Geek Goddess'?" He suggested. He watched her eyes glow with interest as she thought of the idea.

AJ loved the idea, but she pouted slightly. "Then what are you gonna get? I want them to match." She said.

"Then I'll get 'Geek God'. And we can get a small symbol of a comic to go with it." Punk explained.

"OK, now just where are you gonna get it?" AJ questioned looking at the over loaded amount of ink on the man.

Punk thought for awhile. He was thinking of all the remaining empty skin on his body, which wasn't a lot. The most free areas were his back, legs, and some of his torso. He looked down at his one hand that had yet to be covered in ink. "Here." He held his hand up to her displaying the uncovered area.

"OK." AJ said.

"You?" Punk asked. His eyes roaming over her entire body. None of it yet marked by ink. She was a blank canvas.

"Here." AJ's hand ran over the flat of her collar, the area of her chest just above her breasts.

Punk smiled lightly. "OK."

* * *

Punk picked out an artist for himself and her. He knew the shop pretty well so he knew the work they did. It was the same shop he got the number 31 and stars plastered on his skin behind his ear. He wasn't even paying attention to the artist as the needle went over his skin.

He was watching AJ in complete fascination as she got her first tattoo. She was laid back with her eyes closed. She had a light grip on the arm rests of the chair that only tightened in small moments that the needle was probably closest to the bones beneath her skin.

"You OK, Pikachu?" Punk asked.

"Yeah." AJ sighed as the artist passed for a moment.

Punk had been done quickly. He studied his hand. Labelled in a diagonal across the back of his hand was 'Geek God'. The curves of the letters elegantly displayed across his palm. And with the lettering the small batman symbol laid next to it. His lips curved upward as he imagined adding more of the comic and gaming symbols he liked in the future.

He glanced over at AJ. Most of the tattoo was actually finished. The female artist was working quickly, but still slow enough to not mess up any. He sat down in a chair by AJ going unnoticed with her eyes closed. She almost looked like she was fast asleep with how her breathing had even out. She seemed to have gotten used to the feel of the needle rather quickly.

He looked at her face. Her wild brown hair was tied into a pony tail since it always had a mind of it's own and they didn't want her hair ruining the permanent mark on her skin. "Not that bad is it." Punk said looking at her calm features.

"A lot easier than last time." AJ sighed.

"Last time?" Punk eye brows knitted together. "You have another tattoo?"

Her body tense up. "No..." She said obviously lying.

* * *

Punk pinned her against the wall of the apartment. AJ was quivering against him. "Where is it?" He asked. His eyes wandering her covered skin of the most recently mark made on her body.

He was inexplicably turned on. AJ had always been sweet and pure, he took some pride that he had found that badass side of her during their time together.

"When did you get it?" Punk asked.

"A week before we broke up." AJ wasn't looking at him. The way her breath let out in pants she was just as turned on as he was.

"Do I get to see it?" Punk asked. His hands already beginning to tug up on the hem of her shirt.

"If you can find it?" She whispered.

* * *

_"Come on, you can't let me do this by myself." AJ whined almost dragging her best friend into the tattoo parlor._

_"I can't believe you made me leave Skylar with dumb and dumber just so you could get a tattoo." Kaitlyn said rolling her eyes._

_"Skylar will be fine with Zack and Derrick." AJ assured. "Please, I really wanna do this."_

_"I don't know why. Punk and you have been fighting on and off for almost a month." Kaitlyn crossed her arms._

_"Come on. I'll buy, you can even get the tattoo you wanted for Sheamus!" AJ convinced. Her smiled growing at the heated blush that rose to Kaitlyn's otherwise paler cheeks. "I'll take that as a yes."_

_AJ cheered turning around to talk with one of the artists there. "OK, we're ready." AJ said smiling at the female artist._

_"Do you already know what you want?" The woman asked. She was covered with tattoos like most of the other artists walking around the place._

_"Yeah. Ummm...Do you know poke'mon?" AJ asked hesitantly. When the woman nodded in understanding AJ smiled. "Well I want a little Pikachu." AJ said. Her hand running over the back of her neck in the space she wanted to put it._

_The woman gave her a smile before looking to Kaitlyn who still seemed mildly reluctant to be there. "You're getting one too?"_

_Kaitlyn made a heavy sigh, but she gave into AJ's desire anyway. Plus she had been wanting the tattoo for awhile. "Yeah, a Great white on the side of my calf." Kaitlyn said._

_"Patrick does well with animals, so he'll take you. He probably has a few different designs you can pick from already." The woman said motioning a man over. She told him the details and he took Kaitlyn to on of the stations. "My name's Chelsea." The woman said introducing herself to AJ._

_"AJ." She answered her smile growing more timid._

_"First time?" Chelsea inquired._

_"Yeah. My boyfriend is really passionate about tattoos. He kinda influenced me to wanna get one." AJ said nervously ringing her hands together as Chelsea lead her to another station. To AJ's relieve she could still see Kaitlyn from the position._

_"You don't wanna put his name or anything do you? Cause these things are basically forever." Chelsea said carefully._

_"Oh no. I've been told a lot that getting a name of a boyfriend is a bad idea. Probably even the worst idea right now since we aren't having the best of times right now." AJ explained. She tied her hair up. She turned on her side facing away from Chelsea, so the work would be easier for the woman._

_"You're not getting along, but you're getting a tattoo for him?" Chelsea mused._

_"I know it sounds stupid, but I love him." AJ said. The smile on her face growing for a moment. "OW!"_

* * *

"OW!" AJ cried out as Punk bit against the previously tattooed spot on her skin. "You're gonna give me a bruise!" She complained as his tongue ran over the across the area without a care.

She was still pinned to the wall. Only now she was facing the wall. Her shirt had been tossed aside in Punk's venture to find the hidden marked flesh. Even though it hadn't even be covered by the shirt to beginning with. He pushed her hair aside carefully.

He continued to kiss and bite at her neck. She made no move to stop him. She was too busy trying to suppress the moans that were trying to escape her throat.

"Why didn't you show me back then?" Punk questioned. He stopped the assault he had on her neck. His chin gently resting on her shoulder. Starring into the wall. His hands covered over hers as they rested on the wall. He allowed her some space so she wouldn't be pressed against the wall.

"I was afraid. Plus by the time I got the guts you said we should break up." AJ answered. Her eyes beginning to fill with forgotten tears as Punk pulled her into his chest. She continued to cry in Punk's embrace. "Why do I love you?!" She cried out painfully feeling the remains of her heart twisting.

Punk stayed silent listening to her cry. He couldn't answer her. He didn't know why she would love him. He only knew why he loved her.

* * *

**A/N:**  
**Small notes:  
Pikachu is a nickname I had for AJ from Punk.  
Chelsea is the name of the tattoo artist since I met a girl in high school named Chelsea who is trying to become a tattoo artist. She does amazing drawings and I want her to design a tattoo for me one day.  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hello all! It's Monday which means Raw will be on tonight! I'm sure everyone is excited for what's gonna happen.  
**

* * *

Returning to arena felt weird. Punk followed AJ down the familiar halls of the arena he had been to many times in his career. He let her walk ahead of him. Or rather he was falling behind. He had never actually looked at the arena before it had just been straight to the locker room, then trainers room, and then waiting by one of the monitors or at the gorilla position.

Without the need to do anything or go anywhere he let himself be immersed in the back stage atmosphere. He felt like a fan again. A grin spread over his face as he raced up behind AJ. "Hey?"

"I swear to go if you say you changed your mind I will kick you." AJ snapped at him. She knew he had second thoughts in previous years. Like when he was gonna leave in 2011...And against in 2013.

"No..." Punk thought for a second making sure in his own head that the statement was true. After a short pause he continued, "It's just that it's kinda cool to be here now and not have to go out there. I can just relax and watch."

"Now you make me wanna retire." AJ sighed.

Punk gave he sympathetic smile. Years back she had been more than eager to do anything and everything to become a part of this business. And her career had skyrocketed fast, but fizzled down faster. She had been labelled 'Crazy Chick', suggestive comments that she was sleeping around the locker room, and been a jobber numerous times. She had developed her own chip, but none of it was stopping her from leaving.

She pushed open the locker room down. The tiny body of the little girl running straight up to her god-parent. "Auntie!" Skylar cheered as she wrapped her tiny arms around AJ.

"Aww, I missed you Sky." AJ cooed letting go of her suitcase handle she lifted the tiny girl up in the air and into her arms.

"What happened?" Skylar curiously looked at the covered bandage across AJ's chest. Her eyes filled with innocent worry for AJ.

"What did happen?" Kaitlyn asked interjecting in the conversation. Her eyes looking curiously between the bandage and Punk standing not far behind AJ.

"Punk and I got tattoos together." AJ answered. She passed Skylar over to Sheamus who was standing silently close by with a large smile on his features. She peeled away the tape that held down the large gauze padding. She revealed the new tattoo and watched as the parents gapped at the ink running clear across her skin.

"Pretty!" Skylar cooed trying to reach out and touch the marked skin.

AJ pulled back though. "Sorry Sky, it needs to heal more before you can touch it." She explained.

"You would get batman symbol with it." Kaitlyn said rolling her eyes.

"Just what is wrong with Batman?" Both Punk and AJ questioned defensively. But Kaitlyn only rolled her eyes again at them.

AJ stepped into the room with Punk following behind her.

"Hey Punk, since you're retired and all guess what your job is gonna be." Kaitlyn smirked.

"I already figured." Punk said as Sheamus passed the tiny girl to him. "I missed the brat." Punk said settling the girl in her arm.

"Uncle Punk! You got one too." Skylar said looking at the bandage over Punk's hand.

"Yeah." Punk said bouncing the little girl gently in his arms as he walked to the bench by AJ taking a seat down. "Do you have matches tonight?" He asked.

"No, when I called I had to tell them my tattoo wasn't gonna be healed yet. They're gonna have me do a promo though. Askana is gonna be the number one contender, so I'm gonna meet her after she wins the match and slap her." AJ said simply as if it was nothing to slap someone who she actually considered a friend...Then again in this business slapping your friend was the least you could do.

"I can't believe I have to lose to Askana for this." Kaitlyn groaned before sighing. "At least I'm still having matches. Lately I've just been play manager for mister 'Great White'." Kaitlyn rolled her eyes as she looked up to her husband.

Punk and AJ both smiled. No matter how annoyed Kaitlyn ever got with Sheamus they fit so easily together. Really Punk had described it as, 'No one else would put up with her.'

* * *

_"I can't do it!" Kaitlyn shouted as she paced the room. "Not right now."_

_AJ felt herself getting dizzy as she watched her friend pace. "Kaitlyn, we put this all together. There isn't exactly time to do it any other time...At least not for a long time." AJ said._

_"SO! What's wrong with a long engagement?! We already have Skylar!" Kaitlyn snapped._

_AJ winced wishing her friend hadn't as the wails of the child that was reaching it's 2nd birthday started to fill the room. She cautiously walked over to the crib lifting the crying child. She bounced the small child in her arms trying to stop the ear peircing cries while Kaitlyn continued to freak out. AJ sighed, "I'll be back Kaitlyn."_

_Kaitlyn didn't even acknowledge AJ before she slipped out of the room. AJ walked down the halls of the arena. Kaitlyn and Sheamus weren't getting married on screen or in front of the WWE Universe...But really they didn't have time to go any where else. So they were gonna get married in the ring, then have the show, and then they'd have a party afterwards._

_AJ stepped out and down the ramp. She was glad Kaitlyn didn't make her wear heels as her converse feet stepped down the ramp. She passed Skylar off to Kofi at one of the ring side seats. She slipped into the ring where Sheamus, the preacher, Hunter, Vince, and Punk all stood. "She's freaking out." AJ sighed sadly. She looked at the mat not having the guts to look up at Sheamus, afraid of the hurt that might be seen on his features._

_"Screw this." Punk said shocking everyone as he slipped out of the ring and headed back stage. Everyone having a strange sense of worry in their gut that Punk was the one running off to the backstage. _

_"Ten bucks they kill each other!" One of the superstars called from the crowd around the ring side. "OW!" They cried out when another one smacked him._

_Kofi came to the ring still trying to calm the small child. Sheamus took his daughter cradling her body in large arms. Skylar relaxed instantly calming in her father's safe arms. She went quiet tugging on her father's shirt with her tiny fist._

_AJ looked around the room at the most unconventional wedding party. At least have the superstars were in their ring gear and Sheamus was one of those. Trully one of weirdest weddings she was a part of. _

_"Let me down you bastard!"_

_And it was only getting weirder._

_Punk came from the back stage carrying a thrashing Kaitlyn over his shoulder. He was scowling with annoyance as she beat against his back with her fists and her legs were trapped by his arm, but they were still trying to break through. "Quit or I'll drop you!" Punk snapped at the struggling woman._

_Kaitlyn's fight died away. Punk used the steel steps to enter the ring. He put Kaitlyn down on the apron, but put a grip on her arm so she wouldn't run off as he climbed through the ropes. Then he helped her through the ropes. He pulled all the way over to where Sheamus was standing. "Stay." He said scolding waving his finger at Kaitlyn. Finally letting go of her._

_Kaitlyn kept a glare on Punk for a long time even as he, Kofi, and AJ left the ring while the prepared for the exchange of vows. Punk stood next to AJ with his arms crossed not looking all that happy as Kaitlyn finally gave way to the ceremony and her own feelings. AJ smiled up at him. Punk had such a big heart...He just never liked to show it._

* * *

AJ stood by the monitors intently watching the match going off. She knew Kaitlyn would want to go over anything that was bad later. Plus AJ needed to get better prepared for what Askana was gonna bring in their title match. She had fought Askana before, but no one match was the same. Plus Askana had improved greatly from the last match she and AJ had against one another.

"You aren't worried are you?" Punk asked.

"No..." AJ said not really focusing on Punk. She was watching Kaitlyn go for a DDT. "Where's Sky?"

"With Uncle Cena." Punk said. He frowned as she only nodded in acceptance of his answer not even sparing him a glance. "AJ, relax." He said reaching out to put his hand on her shoulder.

"I have to go." She said walking away before he could even touch her skin. She rushed off to the gorilla position.

Punk sighed. He walked back over to Sky, who was getting more than spoiled by the surrounding superstars. He let a heavy sigh go. Taking a seat next to Cena.

"What's wrong?" John asked.

"AJ. Something's wrong." Punk said.

"Did anything bad happen during the week?" John asked.

"Maybe, but this is different. I just have a feeling in my gut that something bad is gonna happen." Punk explained.

"Well what happened?" Cena asked. Passing Skylar off to Zack, so he could focus on the conversation with Punk.

"You already heard how AJ and I got tattoos. Well why we were there I heard about the first tattoo she had gotten. A pikachu on her neck." Punk started.

"AJ had another tattoo?" John questioned. He had never known anything about it.

"Yeah. So...things got a little heated when we got back to my place." Punk continued.

"Oh god, please no more." John groaned. The last thing he wanted to hear about was the sexual exploits of someone he saw as a sister almost and his old rival.

"Will you shut up! We didn't do anything." Punk sighed.

"OK. But it doesn't seem like there is any tension between you two." John pointed out his observation.

"That's because that's as far as we ever got. AJ kinda broke down before we did anything, so I backed off. If I push her too fast then she'll never wanna talk to me again." Punk sighed. His body slumped forward and his eyes focused on the floor.

John opened his mouth to speak, but stopped as they heard the familiar music vibrate through the area. Both he and Punk looked at the monitor as a stunned Kaitlyn had her hand raised in victory as Askana rolled from the ring. Their eyes were wide as the music changed to 'Light it Up'.

AJ walked down the ramp putting on a brave face. She met Kaitlyn in the middle of the ring. It was a silent stare down that continued into the commercial.

Punk could feel his gut twisting. He knew something bad was going to happen...Just he didn't expect it to be that.

* * *

**A/N:**  
**Not sure what to say about this chapter besides please review!  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: WOW! Way too long since I updated this, but it wasn't easy deciding what to do. I've skipped a month into Punk's retirement.  
**

* * *

_His lungs screamed for air, but it was thick around him that it was hard to breath. Like the atmosphere itself was crushing his body. His eyes shut tight, too weak to open. He could hear crying...Skylar...Kaitlyn...AJ...All their sobs echoing around him. _

_Something felt wet. He groaned reaching to feel the drenched area around him. The liquid thick and sticking to his hand. Moving the hand to be in front of his face, he cracked his eyes...just wide enough to see the blood on his hand._

* * *

Punk bolted awake. His clothes and sheets soaked with a thick layer of sweat. Why did he keep dreaming of that...Was he afraid of dying? Maybe the blood was not even his but that seemed like a less appealing option. In fact the idea seemed much-much worse.

He looked at the clock at his bed side. He let out a deep groan when he read the time, 3:42 a.m.. He had only fallen asleep a couple hours ago. He pushed himself up looking around the room. He found the small dog curled at the foot of the bed, Pancake.

Before they broke up AJ got a call from her neighbor. Apparently her dog at that time, Nacho, had gotten out. He wandered into the road and got hit by a car. It was a heart breaking moment for both of them. He had grown fond of the tiny dog and seeing how heart broken the loss made AJ hurt even more.

So during one of his rare breaks he had been home in Chicago going around the city and found a pet shelter. Pancake was only a newborn Yorkie-Chihuahua mix, her mother had died during birth. Pancake ended up being the only one of the liter to survive. He immediately adopted the tiny creature.

He had Pancake checked medically. He got toys, food, bowls, and a tiny collar. When he arrived at the next show he was worried about what AJ's first reaction would be. She didn't know if she would happy or hate him for trying to replace her lost dog. Still he had already started falling for the tiny dog himself, so he hoped it would be the first.

AJ loved Pancake, or rather loves her. Even after the break up they both were willing to in their terms 'share custody'. While they traveled Pancake stayed with his mom or one his sisters. He looked at the tiny dog. She wobbled her way into his lap. Her large brown eyes, that never failed to remind him of AJ's, gave him a worried and nervous look.

"Sorry,babe. Daddy keeps having a bad dream." Punk said. Gentle he stroked the top of her tiny head scratching behind her pointed ears. "I'm worried about mommy." He confessed. At least Pancake wouldn't be able to tell anyone.

* * *

AJ used a towel to remove the sweat that was seeping from her skin. She panted in deep breaths. It had barely been a month since Punk left and she had started a storyline feud with Kaitlyn. The absence of Punk backstage and traveling was harder than anything.

She was still not jumping for joy about having to fight with Kaitlyn on camera. It was hard to explain to Skylar that it was only for television. Still even though they said that there was still a strain in their friendship.

Kaitlyn was not the only straining friendship though. AJ had been having trouble keeping conversations or maintaining interest. All her thoughts seem to gear her towards Punk. She could not get their week together out of her head. The tattoo across her chest only served as a constant reminder. She looked at the wall of the hotel gym covered with a mirror. Her eyes and hand finding the lettering on her skin.

"You aren't even here and I can't forget about you." AJ groaned. She had never gotten over Punk and it didn't seem like Punk had gotten over her either. She thought separating would allow them to forget one another...Not her best idea.

The buzzing of her phone vibrated against the hard leather cushion on a weight bench. She did not bother looking at the screen since she only knew it could be one person. "Hey, Punk." AJ said.

_"Hey...Is everything OK?"_He asked.

"Didn't you call asking me the same thing last night?" AJ asked. She sat on the bench her eyes still fixated on the stained flesh on her body.

_"Pancake's worried."_

AJ giggled. "Well maybe I should be talking to her." She teased knowing it was only an excuse.

_"You already are. I have you on speaker."_Punk said.

"Is my baby getting sick of her daddy?" AJ cooed into the phone. When she heard an excited bark she burst out with laughter.

_"Hey! I thought you were daddy's little girl!"_Punk's voice complained. AJ could see him in her mind sitting on the bed scolding their tiny dog that sat in his lap with the phone set out in front of them.

"I have a couple appearances tomorrow morning, but after that I'm free till Raw. I think I'll come and see you both." AJ informed.

_"Missing me already?"_Punk attempted to tease.

AJ's cheeks burned, blood rushing to the area giving a pink tint to her tan cheeks. She knew why she was going there and what was going for, but she did not have the courage to say it over the phone. "I miss my baby." She defended.

_"Isn't that what I said."_Punk countered back.

"Get some sleep." AJ ordered ignoring his flirtations.

She hung up the phone. His sigh silenced as he let out, _"I wish I could."_

* * *

"We're here with AJ Lee, WWE Divas Champion! It is amazing to have you on the show."

AJ laughed nervously just out of habit, on she had yet to over despite the amount of interviews she had. "Thank you."

"Now, we know you're busy so we'll try to make this quick."

"This is gonna be my last thing today then I'm heading home." AJ informed.

"You don't get a lot of that do you?"

"None, like at all. The last break I had was when CM Punk retired." AJ said.

"I wanted to ask you about Punk. There are lots of rumors going about. You two did used to date and are currently friends, so you'd probably be the best person to ask. Is Punk regretting retirement and thinking of coming back?" The interviewer questioned.

"Absolutely not. He's starting some work with Marvel comics. He has written some stories for a comic and he wants to get involved in that and possibly get his own story publish." AJ answered honestly.

"Wow." The interviewer paused thinking of the information and looking down at the notes he had made. "Now, let's get back to you. At the next pay-per-view, Summer Slam, you are gonna be taking on Kaitlyn for the Divas championship. Now how weird is that for you?"

"I think it's...amazing. We've both come so far in our careers. I think it is a full circle kinda thing." AJ explained.

"But you two are friends. You're even the godmother of her daughter. Does that make things weird back stage at all?"

"A little. It isn't easy to make a four year old believe that you're just playing when we're slapping each other in the face." AJ said letting out another laugh.

"I can imagine. I've been meaning to ask about your tattoo. I don't think many people would expect you to get a tattoo. Is there anything that sorta sparked this?"

"This isn't my first tattoo to be honest. I have a pikachu behind my ear, but it is hidden by my hair so no one ever noticed it. This tattoo I've always kinda wanted to get. And I'm gonna expand probably and have like a chain of comic and video game symbols to make like a necklace. I also wanna get my last dog, Nacho, name and the name of my current dog, Pancake." AJ explained. "But yeah everyone back stage even was shocked. And the time I got it I was on break with Punk. I got this and he got 'Geek God' since I wanted us to have sort of matching. Some people said that Punk had finally corrupted me." AJ giggled.

"I think it is amazing. It fits you really well."

"Thank you. I also got it because this is my signature. Plus I'm not the girly girl that most divas are. I already kinda gave in with wearing make-up and stuff like that, but I love video games, comics, and wrestling. That's always who I've been." AJ explained.

"Now I have to ask this, but what do you think your chances are of remaining the champion?"

"Kaitlyn is powerful and skilled, most people probably already think she's guaranteed to win. But I'm not going down without a fight." AJ let out another laugh her smile beaming as she spoke. "Win or loss, hopefully win, I wanna have a great match that steals the show. Divas get so little air time, one match per a show and sometimes those matchs are only a few minutes long. If we can get people talking then we might draw some more attention to our division."

"I know I would love to see more divas matches. Is there any talk about bringing in more titles to the female division?"

"If we could get more divas and some more air time I think that would be the ideal. So far we're still fairly small, but we've expanded. Really what we really need is more air time so more divas can come out to the fans." AJ explained.

"Is there more difference from back when you first became a diva to now?"

"Not any huge difference I'd say. We are still under-rated compared to the male division. The guys can do things that most divas can't do and we really need to get divas that have more than just pretty faces. I'm not saying anything against them, but we can't have the only factor of a diva being their appearance"

"Makes sense. I think that's all the time we have. Thank you for visiting us, I hope you have a great match and enjoy your time off."

"Thank you for having me." AJ said. She pulled off the head set as they cut to a commercial ad. Shaking hands with the radio host and some of the producers. She let out a sigh as she finally relaxed in her car letting the tension from her nerves drift away.

She set her ipod in the rental car radio letting her own music take over the sound system so she won't have to flip through stations when she leaves the current area. She looked at her phone turning off the device. She didn't want any distractions as she drove to Chicago...As she drove home.

* * *

**A/N: Anyone thinking that Punk's dream might have some merit? ****  
**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Damn these chapters are getting longer. Sadly my inspiration for AJPunk writing is going down. I blame WWE and their stupidity of the AJCena angle...BUT Cena's not dating AJ off-screen! Nope cause he's dating[possibly] Nikki of the Bella Twins. They actually look cute together so I hope it works out.  
**

* * *

Punk sat up straight in the bed. Beads of sweat rolling down his body. He cursed beneath his breath. Once again having that dream. He looked at his hands envisioning them covered with blood. Still he had yet to figure out if the blood was his own or someone else's. He looked at the clock. He had taken a nap trying to get some rest before AJ arrived. The clock reading 11:32.

He guessed AJ would be arrive soon. He hoped so at least, but she probably was driving for hours by herself. He would not be surprised if he got a call telling him she was gonna rest at a hotel for the night and be there in the morning. Still he hoped she would come and drive away these nightmares.

Pancake jumped into his lap. "Mommy is coming." He assured giving a small pet to her head. "Let's make something to eat." He said getting up from the bed. He held Pancake with his arm as he walked with the small dog.

"How about pancakes?" Punk questioned looking at the dog. He felt a little stupid for asking a dog, but he knew she would answer. Pancake growled at him giving an unamused bark. He chuckled setting the small dog on the tile floor of the kitchen. "Pancake hates pancakes." He said with a mix of sigh and chuckle in his voice. "Waffles?" He suggested looking down at the dog's face.

If dogs could smile then Pancake did. Her tail raised in the air, her tongue hung out of her mouth eagerly, her eyes bright and wide. Punk let out a light laugh bending down he ruffled the top of the dog's head. "I really should have talked to AJ before naming you. She doesn't like pancakes either." Punk said reminded of the mistake.

* * *

_Punk nervously held the tiny dog. Sweat dripped from his forehead as his nerves started to take over. His mind berating him already for not actually asking AJ if getting a new dog would be a good idea. Worst part was that if AJ did not want to replace Nacho then there was no way he could return the poor dog. He could ask some of his friends...Or maybe some of his fans...Damn he was desperate if it came to that._

_Everyone passing him gave him a questionable look that only increased his worry. Though those looks might have just been because he had the dog around the catering. His leg moved up in down, bouncing his heel on the floor. He took in a deep breath before letting it go still not helping to calm his nerves_

_"Punk!" Sheamus found him. "What ya doing with this little thing?" Sheamus questioned gently the 'Great White' lifted the tiny dog up marveling the creature._

_"I kinda got it for AJ...Ya know cause of Nacho?" Punk said even his voice uncharacteristically shaking as he spoke. Standing from his seat._

_"I'm sure yer lass is gonna love her." Sheamus assured. He held the dog closer to his face getting his pale skin licked by the tiny's dog. "This little lass is a sweet-heart. Almost reminds me of AJ actually." Sheamus pulled the dog back from his face explaining the dark fur and big brown eyes._

_"Maybe that's why I feel in love with her." Punk said knowing how corny the words sounded, but it was true. He reached out taking the dog back. "So how Kaitlyn?" Turning the conversation away as a distraction._

_"Ready to pop. I hope she doesn't pop while on the road though." Sheamus sighed._

_"Can't really control that. Nature of the business." Punk sighed._

_"Yeah. I'll see ya around." The large man said. He waved his hand before heading off to ready himself for the show._

_"Punk?"_

_His spine stiffened. His head turned around. He saw AJ giving him a curious look as she tried to see what was in his arms. He had not said a word before she was taking the tiny creature from his arms._

_"Oh my, she's so cute." AJ cooed holding the dog up before snuggling it close to her chest. She got her face licked while she cuddled the tiny dog. AJ gave a tiny kiss to the dog's head in return. She sat down in the seat he had occupied letting the tiny dog take over her lap. "Who does she belong to?" AJ asked looking up at him._

_Punk had been feeling more confident because of AJ's positive reaction to the dog's presence, but that still was not a guarantee. He pulled another chair over to sit facing her. "I was thinking...She could be ours." He confessed. Cursing himself once again the for corniness of the whole thing._

_AJ's eyes glazed slightly making Punk's stomach drop. His mind going on a tirade as tears started to fall. He felt sick knowing he had not only hurt AJ, but the innocent dog as well. He had to fix this._

_"I can call my friends, we can ask some other people. We don't have to keep her. I thought it would be a good idea, but I should have know it was too soon." Punk felt like he was rambling. Not even sure if his sentences were making any sense._

_"No." AJ interjected. "I wanna keep her." She pulled the dog into a hug holding it to her chest. The dog licking at the tears on her cheeks. She released the hold moving on of her hands to remove the mix of tears and saliva. She looked at him giving a small smile. "What's her name?"_

_Still nervous he looked at the stains of tears on her cheeks and the light redness that had been caused from only mere seconds of tears. Part of him still worried that she might be forcing herself for the sake of the dog, but maye it would be better with time. "Pancake..." He answered._

_AJ face changed into a pouting frown. "I hate pancakes." She grumbled._

_Instantly the sick feeling in his gut increased._

_AJ lifted the dog putting her and Pancake face-to-face. "Daddy is very bad with naming." AJ informed the small dog._

_Punk's jaw almost dropped. He watched AJ stand from her seat with dog in arms skipping away from him. "What just happened?"_

* * *

"You're just too much like your mother." Punk sighed as he pulled out ingredients.

Before he heard anything Pancake had run off. He heard the jingle of the keys going into the lock and the opening and closing of the door. "Pancake!" Her cheerful voice echoing through the rooms.

He continued his work in the kitchen. Even though he wanted to be running up to her just like Pancake had. "You hungry?!" He called out.

"Still can't sleep right?" AJ questioned walking into the room with Pancake cradled in her arms.

"I slept earlier." Punk said watching her as she moved around to take a seat on one of the stools in the kitchen.

"You took a nap? Are you feeling OK?" AJ questioned her eyes filled with worry for his odd behavior. "You keep calling me in the middle of the night too. Seriously Phil...is something wrong?"

"Nothing. Now how many waffles do you want?" Changing the topic. He knew she wasn't buying it, but at least she stopped asking. "How was the interview?"

"Good. Everyone asks me about you. You haven't done any interviews since you retired people are curious." AJ groaned.

"You should tell them not to ask. This interview is about you not me." He started mixing the batter together.

"Yeah well since you aren't answering I feel bad for your fans. Plus they were only asking if you regretted retiring." AJ said looking down to the small dog inside her lap.

"What'd you answer?" Punk questioned. Keeping his words to the minimum while he focused on his task.

"That you were happy and working with marvel. You're talking about making your comic idea right?" AJ asked.

"Yeah. Talking with some artists and stuff. Not sure how well it will sell though. If I put CM Punk as my name it might, but I'll probably be fighting with Vince just to use it." Punk rolled his eyes.

"Just use your name. If you use CM Punk then it'll just seem like your using it to get more sales. You don't want people buying it just because you wrote it. You want them to buy it because they like what you wrote." AJ said.

"Why do you always have to be right." Punk groaned. Still the small fear in his mind that no one would care what 'Phil Brooks' had to say; they wanted 'CM Punk'. "Now waffles, syrup?" He said giving her a plate with fresh made waffles rather than the frozen ones from the Eggo packs.

"Got whip cream?" AJ questioned looking at the food.

"Go check." Punk focused on getting his own waffles made.

AJ got up setting Pancake on the floor as she checked the fridge. She found one can of whip cream and also pulled out the strawberries. "Yes and strawberries. I'm surprised you have the whip cream though. Finally breaking away from the dieting?"

"A bit. Still think I'm gonna keep to it most of the time. But I think since I don't have to get my ass kicked daily I could splurg a little more. Plus I'm still working out." He explained. He glanced over to her as she started peeling the leaves off the top of the straw berries carefully cutting them into fours.

"At least you aren't a total health freak like before. Sometimes I thought I was dating Da-" AJ bit her lip before the sentence could finish.

Daniel Bryan would and always would be a taboo subject between them. Their whole relationship started because of Daniel and his abuse. AJ often wondered what would have happened if Punk had stopped himself. If he hadn't flown over the ropes and crashed into her. Would anyone would have realized what was being done? Even if they did see, would they have cared as much as him to do something about it?

When there relationship started officially Daniel was furious. He tried to break them up physically or by mentally getting inside their heads. He told AJ that he loved her and Punk was only with her as a charity case. He told Punk, that no matter what he did that AJ would never be over him. It worked well. They fought with each other and started distancing themselves, but then Daniel would do something terrible and they would run to one another for comfort.

It ended with Brie Bellla.

* * *

_AJ did not know what to think with the strange call. Was it a trap? A joke? Still she had not breathed a word of the unsettling message to Punk or anyone else. She looked at her phone checking the time yet again. Whoever wanted to see her they were already twenty minutes late. She sighed, 'Maybe it was a joke after all.' She thought bitterly._

_"AJ!" A feminine voice called to her._

_AJ thought she was seeing these. Standing there was Brie Bella looking out of breath and exhausted._

_"Thank god you're still here." Brie sighed with relief as she came closer. "I lost track of time. I thought you might already be gone."_

_"Why did you want to meet me?" AJ asked. She tightened the grip on her phone. She didn't know what to think of Brie's intentions, but if it meant she would have to attack Brie and run for it then she could do it._

_"I wanted to talk about...Bryan."Brie said sounding nervous. Like she expected AJ to run as soon as she heard that name, she almost did._

_"What about him?" AJ asked._

_"Um, can we sit?" Brie asked motioning to the close by park with swings. Since it was late at night no one else was around. They sat on the swings rocking lightly in their seats. "I'm in love with Bryan." Brie confessed._

_"I'm sorry." AJ didn't know why those were the first words she thought to say. But she just felt pity for a woman that actually had a foolish of a heart to love that man...Though she had been that foolish once._

_"He's actually a great person." Brie mentioned a blush rising to her cheeks. "I'm not here to sing his praises or anything. But he's not like how he was before. I don't think you should give him a chance or anything, but I just wanted you to know that he's not the same guy who hurt you."_

_AJ had already heard enough. "Thank you...But I don't trust Daniel. I don't think you should either."_

_"I understand...I hope you stay happy with Punk."_

* * *

AJ had not understood what Brie had been thinking when she called her out to tell her that. But she never told anyone about it. AJ did see a change in Daniel though. Once they decided to get rid of Punk and Daniel's feud they hardly spoke with him. He hardly bothered them. Their last encounter at Punk's retirement night had been one of the few outside passing by moments in the locker rooms. Recently she had heard that Daniel and Brie were engaged.

Still all that Daniel had done in the past had effected them, scarred them. She knew the worst insult she ever done was when she compared Punk and Daniel. She looked up at him with apologetic eyes. Her mouth not even able to form the word 'sorry'. Her breathing stopped as she studied his features. She swallowed the lump in her throat needing to apologize.

"I love you."

* * *

**A/N: I'm actually not sure how much longer this story is gonna go. I'm thinking maybe up to 15 chapters...Probably under 20. I've been asked about adding in John, but that's not gonna happen here. Plus I have a few things to resolve with John-Eve-Zack angle I had from Crash and Burn which is the prequel to all this. ****  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I started working today...well training. And I go in for training Friday and Saturday, but lucky me I'm off Sunday and Monday! Sunday I'm gonna be getting a new phone that will let me get the WWE APP so I can vote Monday hopefully. THEN I'm gonna watch the PPV XD Mostly looking for my prediction that I listed in a previous/different story update. Then Slammy awards monday XD So happy! Though my hours are still set that I'll be off before 8 anyway.  
**

* * *

_"I love you." AJ repeated waiting for a response._

_Punk looked over to her. He had hardly acknowledged her presence since the last promo. He was lost in thought over the current angle with The Rock. In all possibility they were going to have him drop the title. She knew that was a worst nightmare to him. It would be a kill to his over year long championship reign. A bigger chip would be placed on his shoulder if and when it happened._

_"I love you too." He answered back. The emotions in his voice destitute. His head turned back to look at the title._

_She frowned slightly, but pushed her pain away for the time being. She made a small smile coming behind him. She straddled the bench running her hands over his back and shoulders. She put a light pressure to her touch to help release the tension. "There's still a chance that they won't. Rock might not even be able to come for the following PPVs." She tried to give some reason to get him to relax even if just for the night._

_"I'm pissed that it's even an option. This is the type of thing that pisses me off. At least John works hard even if he doesn't always deserve the title shot." Punk glared harder at the title. Everything he worked for was not long from being snatched away. He started to remember them having him hold the title for nothing, but to pass it to the next person. Had it happened again? Had he been carrying this title just for this opponent to screw him out of it?_

_"What makes you say that you have to lose?" AJ mused with him. She did not understand why she was suggesting this, but in the least it would cheer him up._

_"What?" Punk's interest perked. He looked over his shoulder with wonder of just what his girlfriend was thinking._

_"Well there are things you could do to ensure winning. If they want you to job to Rock then you just don't. It isn't like they can stop it when they realize you aren't going to go with the plan. Or find someone to help you. Paul probably knows some people or could get some people to interfere, like Brock Lesnar." AJ was not sure what she was saying, but it seemed to help him. The very least it got him out of a staring contest with an inanimate object._

_Punk grew a wicked smirk as her ideas started to swim in his head. He twisted his body around on the bench to face her. "Have I ever told you that I love you?" He mused. He pulled her closer letting her legs straddle his hips while her rear rested between his open legs._

_AJ grinned. He had true emotion in his voice when he said the words this time. Before it had been out of mere reflex and obligation. "Not nearly enough." She chuckled._

_"Well I'll have to fix that." Punk mused again. Dipping his head down he kissed her neck._

AJ jolted awake. The familiar memory becoming a nightmare for her. She took in deep breaths, placing a hand over her heart and forcing the rapid beating to calm. She could not she hated the memory or even if it was truly a nightmare, but the situation seemed far to familiar.

After saying, "I love you" to Punk shortly after her arrival was a reflex she thought she had lost. She had said those words so many times whether to distract him from his own problems or get herself out of trouble with him. Even after they're break up she would sometimes say the words just to herself because saying them out-loud seemed wrong then. This time she had been unable to stop it.

Even more haunting than the dream was the expression Punk had tonight. He gave her a sad and hurt smile that only made her feel guilty. He said, "I love you too." With more feeling than she could even fathom just in the sullen sound of his voice as he spoke them. She was not sure if she would have rather him over react to her words. She felt cold with the words still ringing in her mind.

Her eyes found Pancake curled up at her side. She had not even flinched when AJ awoke. Or maybe she had and AJ just hadn't noticed. Gently she pushed away the covers not wanting her sleep issues to bother the poor creature as well. Her feet padded down the hallway to Punk's room from the guest room. She was seeking the warmth that only he provided.

She opened the door to the bedroom almost surprised that he was able to sleep. It was rare that she saw him sleeping. She slipped in the room keeping the door open in a crack just big enough for their dog to enter if she were to wake and find herself alone. She continued her silent steps over to the side of the bed Punk was closest to.

His sleeping face not peaceful. His face twisted with pain and discomfort. Her own discomfort forgotten for worry. She touched his shoulder shaking his form lightly, "Punk...Punk...Phil-"

Punk jolt awake. He was breathing harder than she had when she woke from her dream. His face look terrified and the color in his face drain away. It was more than strange to see Punk rattled like this. She could not even think of time when he looked as petrified as he did at this moment. He took in breaths doing similar actions to what she had done to calm herself. She rubbed her hand across his back and shoulder hoping to help him through the terror.

"Are you OK?" AJ asked when he started to calm down.

"Yeah." Punk sighed. He rubbed his hand over his face. "Just a dream."

"Bad dream." She countered wanting more details on what had rattled him to that extent.

"It's nothing. I've been having it a few nights now. Plus I'm a grown man; I can handle a nightmare." Punk protested. "What about you?"

"Kinda the same thing." She answered truthfully. "And I'm cold."

Punk rolled his eyes. He moved over giving her room to crawl in next to him. She cuddled into his sheets greedily taking the warm from his lingering body heat. "You're as bad a Pancake." He accused, not really complaining though. They moved closer together. Her head making his arm and part of his chest into a pillow. The hand on his trapped arm made circles on her exposed shoulder. "So what did you dream about?"

"...Us" The vague answer would be enough for him to know; not what the dream was about but content would be easy to understand.

"Good or bad?" Punk asked.

"Both."

"How is it both?"

"The memory was good, but it made me feel bad." She continued to be vague. If he knew the details then that might only hurt him more. "Now you have to tell me about yours." She said before he could ask anymore questions.

Punk gave a heavy sigh. "I've been having it for about a month I guess. Happens almost every night. Monday, Tuesday, Friday and sometimes Sunday. It's almost always the same, but I hardly have any details to what's going on." He explained.

"What do you know?" AJ pressed her attention forced on his story.

"There's blood and screaming from you, Celeste and Sky. I know Sheamus is there, but I can't hear him. It's all darkness for most of it or flashes of red and white lights, sometimes blue. When my eyes open I hold up my hand and there is blood." He explained out. In his mind he could clearly remember the look of the blood over his hands. "I always wake up around then. Just before I can find out if the blood is even mine."

AJ mouth parted in still shock. She always believed dreams had a meaning, but she did not know what to think with image he was creating. "Why do you always wake up there?" She wondered aloud.

Punk let go of another heavy sigh. "I think...because I'm not suppose to know, yet. Or I'm too afraid to." He confessed. He wanted to know, but he also knew that finding out would not be rewarding in anyway. Whatever he would see was not going to be good. Either he was bleeding or the girls were hurt. He was already close to sure that Sheamus was hurt since he only heard them calling for out for his name. Or maybe there were calling for Sheamus to help?

A shiver went up his spine making him shift with discomfort. "I think I'm fine with not knowing for now." He decided. He'd rather go without sleep than see what the nightmare would become.

"Let's talk about something else then. Get our minds off those dreams." AJ said.

A bark was heard from the door. Both looked and saw the tiny dog in the doorway. Pancake ran up easily jumping on the high bed even with her small body. Pancake maneuvered over the blankets squeezing between the warm bodies of her parents.

"Shouldn't children sleep in their own bed?" Punk mused looking at the dog with some agitation for the interuption.

"Well this baby is special. Plus she's our baby, not Skylar." AJ mused stroking the short fur of their adopted pet.

* * *

Kaitlyn and Sheamus sighed with relief. Skylar had been overly hyper after the show. Which was partly from the backstage excitement that their child seem to trive off of more than they did. Also due to the fact that when they were busy and left Skylar with her "uncles" and "aunties" she was given sugar and sweets from catering...They were both exhausted between work and they're daughter.

"AJ went to Punk's?" Sheamus mused. He lazily laid over the hotel sheets not even mustering the energy to cover his body with a blanket.

"Yeah...Those two are hopeless." Kaitlyn answered. Just like Sheamus she laid over the sheets next to him on her side. A short distance between them. "I swear if one of them doesn't die first they'll probably realize that they should be together when they're 70."

Sheamus chuckled to himself. "They'll figure it out. I'm sure after their little weekend together that Punk's already starting to move in on it. But that could be because of his retirement."

"I don't think they should have gotten together before. It would have been better if they waited longer." Kaitlyn decided.

"Is that why you were so against them before? Cause now you're kinda getting them together." Sheamus asked.

"It was too soon. AJ might not admit it, but she was still having trauma from Daniel. Punk was playing hero and they both fell fast. They're still perfect for each other, but they forced a relationship that was not ready to happen." Kaitlyn explained.

"Didn't that happen with us?" Sheamus questioned, hurt and fear in his voice.

"Kind of. We didn't plan for Skylar or anything, but we didn't jump into marriage either. We waited till we were sure that being together is what we wanted." Kaitlyn decided. "I love you."  
She moved closer to him throwing her weak arm around his waist and using him for warmth.

"I love you too." Sheamus grinned. Pressing his lips to the top of her head.

* * *

**A/N: I had to do a Kaitmus scene. For one there gonna start appearing more. And if anyone has seen the tout with Sheamus and Kaitlyn together during the Troops visit it is adorable! Also gonna start using real life names more. AJ will stay AJ and Punk will probably stay Punk[but people will call him Phil more], but Sheamus and Kaitlyn will be Stephen and Celeste.****  
**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:Inspiration struck me yesterday on my last day of classes for my semester. And this isn't as long as it should be for me to take so much time, but it is longer than I expected it to be. There is a bit of a skip from the last chapter and things are going to start to heat up.  
**

* * *

AJ returned to travelling with Kaitlyn and Sheamus earlier than she had planned. She was afraid of her own actions around Punk. She did not know how to act anymore. She feared she would confess her love for him again, but she was not even sure if that was sure herself. She knew she loved him, but she was not sure if those words meant the same thing as they had years before. She sighed to herself and watched the car window fog over.

Instead of being curled in Punk's bed with Pancake she was stilling in the backseat of the rental suv. She leaned against the car door feeling the cold surface that contrasted with the heat running through the car. She glanced next to her at Skylar who was fast asleep in her car seat. She was covered with a blanket and her head turned to face AJ. AJ noticed the small stream of drool beginning to make its way down her chin. AJ smiled at the child and gently moved the blanket to cover one of her legs that had moved away from the covers.

On the other side of Skylar was Wade Barret. Sheamus and Wade had become friends over the years and recently Wade had joined with them in travelling. AJ stifled her laughter as she looked at the sleeping British bare-knuckle brawler. Just like Skylar he was fast asleep. His arms were firmly crossed over his chest to keep to his own space, but his head leaned into the car door as a make-shift pillow. And AJ could see the small amount of drool running from his mouth and into his dark bread.

Last she looked to the front and at the last two of their travelling companions, the two parents. Sheamus and Kaitlyn had a tense air around them that AJ could swear was visible in the air around them. She had never seen them be so silent around one another. She could only guess that it was stress from dealing with daughter, possibly they needed to sleep, or maybe they just did not want to wake anyone else by having a conversation. Still AJ was not certain it was any of those factors.

She had not told either of them about her recent issue with Punk because of the tension. She knew well enough they had heard all her issues with Punk from big and small and anymore would just be another variation of what they had to listen to in the past. She did not need to bother them with things they had heard before and she did not want to listen to the lectures they had given her before.

She glanced over to Wade again. Maybe he could help her get past the past she was running from.

* * *

They stop at a rest stop to eat and stretch for a short time before they have to start driving again. AJ and Wade are going to take over driving and navigating the rest of the way to the hotels. Kaitlyn and AJ are sitting in a booth with Skylar still sleeping, just now in her mother's arms. AJ picks at the cinnamon bun she had gotten a craving for. She doesn't take much care for the mess the sticky sugar makes of her fingers as she dips her fingers in to break pieces off to eat. She sticks a piece in her mouth and licks her fingers clean before putting them right back in the sugar.

"So what happened with Punk?" Kaitlyn questioned. She was not looking at AJ, her eyes focused outside where both Sheamus and Wade where talking while they stretched their sore muscles.

AJ looked up at her friend with wonder of how she knew. She knew she must have been pretty obvious with the fact she had returned to the road so soon even though she still had time before she had to be at the next show and could have just flown rather than meet up with them to drive there. "Nothing." She lied still not wanting to bother her friend with the issue.

"Liar." Kaitlyn accused still not tearing her eyes away from the two men outside.

"I'll deal with it. Plus I was think maybe I'll trying dating again." AJ told her friend looking out the window at Wade.

"It won't matter." Kaitlyn stated finally looking away from the men and down at her sleeping daughter.

* * *

Punk massaged his scalp. He was almost glad AJ left this time. He knew she was not ready to deal with whatever they were going to become and on some part neither was he. He knew he wanted to be with her, but how would they even manage it with him no longer travelling around with them. He knew he couldn't ask AJ to end her career when she had a lot further to go. But there were also things that he wanted to do that by the time AJ was ready to have kids he would be too old for, like having kids mostly.

He never really thought about wanting to be a dad much until Skylar came. She was small and tiny, just from looking at her he could see her parents. She was the perfect mix of both of them. He saw Sheamus holding her and everything about the image looked right. And he had taken his time to hold her and protect her. He was probably a terrible influence in the beginning since he has no filter on his mouth, but he knew he did one thing right when the tiny ginger headed girl said she was going to be Straight-Edge.

His head pulsed with pain. Thoughts of Sheamus and Skylar were reminding him of the nightmares he was trying to avoid. The headache he had all coming from his lack of sleep and refusal to take pain medication. He groaned as he laid across his bed inhaling the scent of AJ that still lingered on his pillows he drifted off to what he hoped to be a peaceful sleep.

* * *

AJ wiggled in the passenger seat trying to find a comfortable position. So far her plans for getting closer to Wade were failing before they could even begin. She glanced at the man briefly before turning her eyes back onto the road. He was far more intimidating awake then he had been sleeping earlier. He also was not making any sort of conversation besides asking when the next exit was or mentioning he was going to change lanes. Still she had to do something.

"So, you and Sheamus are close." AJ commented hoping to break through the solid ice between them.

"Yeah." It was a simple reply that added nothing to the conversation, but it did not sound like he was entirely annoyed either so she would continue.

"Did they ask you to come since I wasn't around? Usually they need at least one extra set of hands when travelling cause of Skylar.

"Something like that." Wade added giving a glance into the rearview mirror before looking ahead again.

"Skylar's grown up so much. I'm sure you saw her around backstage a lot." AJ continued to innocent conversation.

"Sometimes, she usually would come up and start asking me a thousand different questions." Wade told.

"She does that a lot. She's really curious and friendly." AJ smiled easily seeing Skylar ramble twenty questions off before a person could even answer the first.

"It wasn't that exactly." Wade commented.

"What was it?" AJ questioned raising a brow.

"He talks funny." The answer came from the backseat.

AJ turned her body and looked at the small girl sitting between her parents sleeping forms. She made quick notice of how Kaitlyn's body was turned towards the door and almost pressed against it like a lifeline…or just to get further away. Sheamus was turned towards he daughter and wife with one of his large arms covering over Skylar's legs.

"I do not talk 'funny' little girl. This is the true manner of the English language." Wade barely scolded.

"Still sounds funny." Skylar pointed back.

Aj stifled a giggle at the very Punk like expression she wore. She looked over to Wade who looked exhausted like he had this argument with Skylar before. AJ was pretty sure from the expression that he lost every time.

"Aunt AJ."

AJ looked back to the young girl seeing how she was trying to pry the dead weight of her father's arm off her body, but was not having any luck.

"Daddy's heavy." She whined trying to get leverage to free herself, without much luck. Finally sick of failed attempts she used her small nails to pitch a small bit of skin of her father's hand. The arm moved some taking the fully weight off the small girl, but still keeping close.

AJ smiled as Skylar turned into her father putting her hand on his cheek and falling back to sleep. She tried not to think about how left out Kaitlyn seemed in that image as she turned back to sit properly in the seat. Making a glance over to Wade she decided that she was not going to push for anymore conversation since his mood seemed to have soured.

* * *

**A/N: OK, I know Wade does not seem like the type to be with AJ. But I wanted someone less obvious than the usual suspects of one of AJ's on-screen romances of Daniel, John, Kane, or Ziggles. Obviously for people who read the original to this that Daniel is not an option. Also I have big plans for Wade to come and were going to be seeing just what Punk's dream means real soon.**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:I think I lost some of the readers that this story had due to how long it took for an update, but I hope I don't dissapoint all of those who are still reading this cause it is only getting better.**

**Anyone who loves a good rant be sure to meet me at the bottom of this chapter. Along with an announcement.**

* * *

Punk frowned at the clock. Insomnia was nothing new to him, but he was afraid to fall asleep now and that was not OK with him. He knocked his head against the head board of his bed. He looked at the clock again...He grabbed his phone and flipped through the many contacts he had to find the one person that might be able to get him over this stupid dream...

* * *

AJ sipped the pepsi happily. She had been very proud of herself today. She had talked to a lot of the male talent, some she hardly knew. Just making small conversation with them seemed huge to her. She usually always had someone with her that would make the conversation go and she would only add in her two cents when she felt the situation needed it.

Daniel was a large reason she did that. She was afraid of men, thinking they would become just like he had. Still she had thrown that concern away for Punk and she had forgiven Daniel. She just needed to put herself out there and hope not to get burned.

The person she had been focusing on was Wade though. She already knew they did not have much incommon besides their career and the travel life they lived. It made her a little more comfortable, plus she could talk to him with Kaitlyn or Sheamus nearby which made it less scary at taking the leap.

They had gone to a bar for the night, sadly for Sheamus he was left at the hotel with Skylar. AJ sat in the booth next to Wade with Kaitlyn across from them both. Kaitlyn looked drained and annoyed as she nursed her beer. And the conversation at the table was fairly dead compared to the noise around them.

"I saw you talking with a bunch of the guys today." Kaitlyn commented giving AJ a pointed look from across the table.

"I need to start talking to them." AJ said giving Kaitlyn a similar pointed look. Kaitlyn knew very well what she was doing, but she did not have to lecture about it in front of the first guy she was basically experimenting on.

"Whatever." Kaitlyn rolled her eyes and looked away.

"AJ, let's dance." Wade said before she could question on Kaitlyn's foul mood.

AJ raised a brow at Wade wondering if this was at all normal for the man because it did not seem like it. She did not bother to question it though as she slid out of the booth and followed him to the small dance floor the bar had. She stood close to him as they moved with the loud music, mostly just bouncing from side to side or wiggling her hips. After a few minutes she did not even notice her best friend get up and leave.

* * *

"Punk? What's got you calling so late?" Sheamus questioned rubbing his tired eyes.

"I just had to talk to you about something." Punk's voice sounded even more tired than Sheamus felt.

"Give me one second." He said quietly. He pried himself out of the bed. He looked over to his sleeping daughter before he slipped inside the hotel bathroom. "OK, what's got you riled Punk? Is this about AJ? She hasn't said anything about why she came back so soon. I didn't expect her back until next Monday." Sheamus inquired.

"Not about AJ. I'll talk to you about that later, but this is thing has been messing with me for almost since I left. AJ doesn't know about it and don't tell her or anyone else." Punk clarified.

"OK, lad what is it?" Sheamus asked with a yawn.

"I've been having nightmares. I'm not even entirely sure what is going on. Things are black and I hear screaming. Kaitlyn, Skylar, and AJ are screaming…Every time I open my eyes I see blood. I can't every get past there." Punk gulped at the end of mild overview of the nightmare that had been plaguing him for the worst part of months. He did not even know what he wanted to hear; whether it would be better to have it passed off as him thinking too much of it. Or if maybe there was something to be concerned about.

"Sounds wild." Sheamus stated. "Look, I don't know if there is any truth to your dream, but if it'll make you feel better I'll be extra careful."

Punk let go of a sigh. "Thanks." He said actually feeling better by the simple reaction.

"I'm guessing you haven't been sleeping if you're calling so late." Sheamus added. "Now why didn't you tell AJ about it?"

"She'd worried too much. And…I don't know. I think maybe if I told her she'd want to take care of me or something. I don't want anything to pressure her into being with me. I want her to be with me because she wants to." Punk sighed his body sinking into the bed ready for long awaited rest.

"Makes sense…for you at least." Sheamus stated laughing lightly. From inside the bathroom he heard the door open and some loud banging as what he guessed to be Kaitlyn coming in. "Get some rest Punk. I have to go put Kaitlyn to bed now."

"Good luck with that." Punk said before ending the call.

* * *

"My feet are going to be killing me tomorrow." AJ whined. She leaned on Wade as they walked down the hotel lobby.

"I thought you didn't like to wear heels?" Wade commented looking at the uncomfortable foot wear that he somehow ended up carrying on the way back to the hotel.

"I don't, but usually when I go out to places like that people always think I'm like 12, but wearing heels makes me a little taller so I won't have as many issues." AJ explained. "Thank you, it was fun. I still don't know why Kaitlyn just left like that."

"She was a little tired." Wade defended.

"I guess, but she's been acting weird since I got back. I wonder if she's really mad about me not getting back together with Punk yet." AJ wondered.

"It isn't that I'm sure." Wade said.

They stepped down the hall and they noticed a crowd gathered around a door. There was loud shouting coming from inside and most of the superstars that were in the rooms close by were whispering and looking at the door, but none made the move to knock on the door.

AJ raised a brow as she looked at the group. Her eyes widened at the sight of one of the group members. She went straight over not even caring if Wade was following her or if he just went to his own room. "Sky!" AJ lifted the girl out of the large arms of John Cena. She was crying and saying things AJ couldn't make out a word of from the sobs and gasps of air. "Why is she out here?" AJ questioned looking at John for an explanation.

"Sheamus and Kaitlyn are arguing about something. Skylar came running across the hall crying." John informed her of the situation.

AJ looked at the door remembering the number as the one Kaitlyn and Sheamus had gotten when they checked into the hotel. She passed Skylar back to John for the moment then looked around finding Kofi and Wade. "OK, unless you're John, Kofi, or Wade get back to your room! We'll handle it!" AJ shouted at the group giving them all a glare she had learned from Punk. When they still did not seem to move she shouted louder, "Now!"

The hall quickly cleared leaving AJ, John, Wade, Kofi, and a crying Skylar. They could all still hear the muffled shouts inside the room. AJ gave a heavy sgh as she handed off Skylar back to John. "Take her and try to calm her down, please." AJ directed John.

"I'll go with him." Kofi volunteered. The two disappeared in John's room across the hall, Skylar's cries becoming as muffled as the screams were.

AJ bite her lip as she reached into her pocket and pulled out the spare room key Sheamus and Kaitlyn gave her for emergencies while they traveled. Her hand was shaking as she pushed the key card into the slot. Her nervous hands unable to pull it out fast enough forced her to repeat the process. AJ knew she did not want to see what was on the other side of the door. Sheamus and Kaitlyn never fought, not badly at least. Small arguments were expected at times especially with raising a kid while trying to maintain the careers they had worked for. But none of those seemed as bad as this. For Skylar to start crying and neither of her parents taking the time to stop and tend to her…Something was wrong.

AJ sucked in a gulp of courage with a deep breath of air. From the other side of the door it seemed to have died down for the time being. She steady her hands and opened the door like it was any other time. She cracked the door open and heard the crying of her best friend no longer dulled by the barrier of the door.

AJ stepped inside not even noticing how Wade came in behind her holding the door open as he stayed at the doorway. AJ stopped. She looked from one side to another. Kaitlyn was crying, but trying her hardest to cover the sound with her hand. Her arms wrapped around her stomach to hug herself and her body leaned forward. "I'm sorry." She said with agony looking down at the floor.

AJ looked to Sheamus. His eyes were wide and shocked like she had never seen before. She could see the emotional pain beginning to fill his eyes. It shocked AJ to see a still tear form in his eyes and spill down his pale cheek. The last time AJ had seen Sheamus cry was when Skylar was born.

"What happened?"

* * *

**A/N: I was going to reveal the reason for Kaitlyn and Sheamus' spat at the end of this, but I think it just would not be right of me if I didn't torture you all some and leave you to stew. If you have a guess on just what it might be review, I already know and I don't think anyone is going to get it. Also I get that Wade might be a little OOC, but I seriously can not tell what he is like off-screen.**

**OK now to the ranting! This is about #OldSchoolRaw for all those who might have missed it...I'd say it was about an 8/10...But I'm comparing that to some of their more recent episodes that have been maybe 3/10. But before I get to that I do want to say that the story Demonic Salvation I've been working on periodically, thanks to nuttyplum for talking with me and giving me some ideas for it, will be preimering before Wrestlemania. I decided to start the setting of the story in the aftermath of Wrestlemania whether what I write matches what happens in the show of shows or not. It's a primarily backstage atmosphere and is going to be fairly seperate from what goes on on-screen.**

**Let's start with the setup for Punk vs Undertaker Wrestlemania match...TERRIBLE! I hated the set up! The concept of a fatal four way match was great, but to take on the Undertaker? And I question even more why there wasn't anything from the Undertaker. You'd think there would be at least one promo on who he thinks should win or who he might want to face, but I guess that will be coming up in the next few weeks as they build more momentum. Still very lackluster start to what I hope to be an epic match come Wrestlemania.  
Now let's move to John-boy. I know we were all expecting this match again from the moment Rock got his title shot basically and Rocky is officially on my shit list after debuting the new title belt. Punk had been working on changing that belt since basically the start of his championship, but Rocky gets the glory. OK little off topic with that last bit, but it was really just to say that I am not a fan of Rock. Which is why I flipped him off during his promo with John this Monday. I also am not that happy with John and I am a bit of a fan for him as some of you know, but I think he could have done a stronger promo. I think it would have been better for him to get the last word in there and really make an impact. It started really strong and then just slowly started to die. But like Punk and Undertaker this will probably get more hype in the weeks to come.  
I'm not even going to touch Jack Swagger right now...I seriously don't even know what to think of his new gimmick just pray it ends quickly and someone shaves off Zeb's mustache...that thing is more distracting than Daniel Bryan's goat face.  
Next, Triple H...I'm sure we all were expecting this with Brock's return considering the nature of his return as well. Hopefully it doesn't take forever for Brock to finally agree to the match like the Summer Slam match...Also maybe he can not run off like last time.  
The New Age Outlaws match was awesome since I love them. By far one of my top ten favorite tag teams with Edge and Christian and the Hardy Boyz.  
Last, The Shield...I'm kind of expecting the new team to face them will be the losers from the fatal four way match, so Randy, Sheamus, and Big Show. Randy and Sheamus already have a vendeta against the group and from what Big Show did to reigns he's going to have one soon also. **

**OK, rant is done. Anyone guessing why I didn't mention Dolph and Miz...well because very much like Zack Ryder, Dolph jobbed.**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:Sadly this chapter is not as long, but there is still more to come in the next chapters.[Also last chapter got my long ass rant]**

* * *

"What happened?" AJ repeated seeing that neither were answering her question.

"AJ…Please go, we need to be alone." Kaitlyn pleaded her cries dying down into silent tear and sniffles.

"I'm not going to leave you two like this. Just tell me what happened. Maybe I can help." Aj reasoned moving closer to Kaitlyn. "Skylar is really upset." AJ informed. She watched them both look over to the bed they had last seen their daughter sleeping peacefully.

"Oh god." Kaitlyn groaned pushing her head into her hands to hide her shame.

"Where is she?" Sheamus asked looking around the room to see if she was still there.

"She's with John and Kofi across the hall." AJ said. "She's safe, but we need to fix this." AJ pressed.

"This isn't something that can just be fixed." Sheamus said looking at his wife.

"There has got to be something that can be done." AJ's voice cracked as she spoke out of fear. "Just tell me what happened."

"I had an affair." Kaitlyn stated the words sounding like poison on her lips.

"What?!" AJ shouted.

"I had an affair!" Kaitlyn shouted back. "It happened before the engagement, but it was after Skylar was born. I didn't know what I was doing with my life anymore. I had a moment of weakness for awhile…But after we got engaged I stopped I swear!" Kaitlyn explained looking at Sheamus with fear of what his reaction was going to be, but he was looking to the ground making her unable to read his emotions.

"Kaitlyn if this happened so long ago then why are you saying something now? Why not back then? Why even bring it up if everything has been going so well?" AJ questioned trying to the answers that they all needed to hear.

"Cause…the man… who I had the affair with wants me back. He coming into my life and I want it to stop, but he isn't listening. He knows I'm married, but that doesn't seem to matter to him at all." Kaitlyn grieved.

"Who was it?" Sheamus asked.

The air in the room went cold. AJ felt her heart pounding her chest as aderline started pumping through her veins. She looked at Kaitlyn seeing her best friend struggle with the idea of whether or not to reveal the man that was trying to ruin their marriage. They were already near certain that it had to be someone with them, one of the other men on the roster, and from Kaitlyn's struggle it was probably someone they both knew fairly well.

Kaitlyn never got the chance to answer when the hotel door made a loud thud as it closed. The fourth person that had been ignored till now finally get all of the eyes on him. "Is it that hard to say my name Kaitlyn?" Wade Barret questioned.

* * *

"Please calm down Skylar." Kofi pleaded bouncing the girl on his lap. "Do you want some ice cream?" Kofi bribed, but did not even get a reaction from Skylar as she wailed.

John sat on the floor leaning against the side of the bed. "We should call one of the divas." John suggested having giving up hope on calming the screaming child down between the two of them.

"Or at least someone who has a kid." Kofi offered.

"I'll go find someone to help. You watch her for now." John said crawling to the door before using the handle as leverage to get to his feet. His feet rubbing along the carpet as he walked out.

"OK, Sky, John's gone to get someone. Do you wanna talk at all about your mommy and daddy?" Kofi questioned.

"A-Are they gonna be like aunt AJ and Punk?" Skylar sniffed starting to quiet down in wait for her answer.

"What do you think AJ and Punk are like?" Kofi asked with some confusion. He would not have thought that Skylar was just as in tune to the chemistry between the unwilling pair as everyone else.

"They love each other, but they aren't together." Skylar said pulling at her nightshirt.

"Your mommy and daddy aren't AJ and Punk. And you don't need to worry about whether or not they love each other because all that matters is they love you, just like John, AJ, Punk and I." Kofi explained kissing the top of her ginger haired head.

"I guess." Skylar muttered looking at the floor.

* * *

"What's with the shocked faces?" Wade questions calmly.

AJ and Kaitlyn had already wisely stepped in front of Sheamus' path to Wade. The enraged Irish man stopped just before he would have knocked them both down. He had a murderous gaze that neither woman could recall ever seeing on his face. Kaitlyn wrapped her arms around him. "Calm down, Stephen." She urged, not wanting a fight to break out that could make things even worse.

"Yes, Stephen, let us not fight here." Wade mocked, laughing at Sheamus' anger. His laughter turned silent after the petite hand smacked against his cheek throwing his head to the side and making him stumble back from the unexpected attack.

AJ stood with a glare of her own. "Get out." She growled.

Wade scoffed at her threat, yet still he back towards the door and left.

AJ sighed and looked back at her two friends. "I'll leave and let you two talk." She offered already moving towards the door.

"AJ, you stay here. I'm going to spend the night somewhere else." Sheamus said. He moved away from Kaitlyn and left out of the room without looking back. The made a loud click as the automatic lock set in place and AJ watched Kaitlyn dissolve into tears.

* * *

"Daddy!" Skylar cheered throwing her short arms around Sheamus' leg.

Sheamus smiled to his daughter before looking around the room. All the superstars looked like they had blackout from sheer exhaustion probably long before he got there. John and Randy were cuddling on the floor, Layla was using Alex as a pillow, Miz was in an awkward position of being half on the couch and the other half on an ottoman. Glitter was sprinkled just about everywhere making the room sparkle. He was sure he could see make up over Zack Ryder, Kofi, and John's faces.

He walked with the weight of his daughter onto the one clear bed that seemed to have survived whatever had taken place in the room without being painted with glitter or having any other the superstars sleep on it. He lifted Skylar from his leg and laying her down on the bed. "Stay here sweetheart, I have to make a quick call."

He stepped into the bathroom feeling cold wet towels that looked like they were used to cover a spill of what he hoped was bath water at this point. He pulled his phone front his pocket and dialed the last number that had called him. The rings continued until he was listen to the out-going message, "Hi! Punk's too lazy to answer his phone right now, so leave a message and I'll get back to you." AJ's voice chimed.

"Punk, this is Sheamus. Could you come to Greenbay? I need to talk to you and I don't think I can do this over the phone." Sheamus sighed. He hung up the phone and sat on the lid of the toliet seat. He hid his face beneath his hands and started to cry.

* * *

**A/N: I told you all Wade had a purpose for being added...Just I guess you thought he was going to actually date AJ rather than what I added. So now we have Kaitlyn and Sheamus still fighting while Wade tries to pry them apart further. Sheamus has called Punk for reinforcements, but will Punk and AJ be able to quell the storm or get swept up into a storm of their own?**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: FINALLY AN UPDATE! Sorry to everyone. I haven't even gotten a chance to work on Demonic Salvation even though I had planned to publish it before Wrestlemania PPV. Don't worry though I'm not finished writing and my updates maybe few and far between for awhile, but I'll do everything I can to get you all something.  
**

* * *

"Well at least they aren't yelling." Zack commented light to the group of worried friends as they watched from across the room at the married couple. "That is a good thing right?" He questioned when no one responded to his first observation.

"It could just be because they aren't in private. I mean I've never even seen them yell at each other before if it wasn't just goofing around." John mentioned.

"They're both fairly private about their relationship. I mean people were only starting to see that they liked each other when all of sudden Kaitlyn's pregnant." Kofi added.

"They probably jumped into it all too quickly, but instead of other people that break up they forced it to work." Randy commented.

"Will you all shut up?" AJ snapped. She gave a glare to each of them not wanting to hear anymore doubts about the relationship between Kaitlyn and Sheamus. Selfishly her mind kept drifting to Punk and more questions entered her mind as she looked at the two people she thought had all the answers.

* * *

"You should take Skylar with you." Kaitlyn said.

"Are you sure?" Sheamus questioned. His eyes were looking at Kaitlyn's hands resting on the table. He wanted to reach out and take one of them, but he could not find the strength to comfort her.

"Yes, I need time to think. I'll be with AJ though." Kaitlyn explained, not wanting him to worry about her cheating at all.

"I was going to hop on one of buses with some of the fellas. Skylar should have fun and be a little distracted at least." Sheamus informed.

"Sounds great." Kaitlyn said looking down at the table. "You know I love you right?" She questioned her voice shaking as she forced herself not to cry.

"I know. I love you too." Sheamus answered. He stood from his seat moving around the table he leaned down cupping her cheeks in his large hands he guided her to look up to him. He pressed his lips to hers forcefully. He knew she wasn't expecting it the way she gasped against his mouth. He slipped his tongue in her mouth memorizing the taste and feel. He slipped away just as she was beginning to respond.

"Ste-"

"We have an audience." Sheamus reminded gesturing to their group of friends that had either turned away at their intimate moment or had pulled out their phones to take pictures.

Kaitlyn turned her back to them. Normally she would have hit Sheamus for doing anything like that in public, but she didn't think she had a right to make any demands right now. She was really just glad he was willing to kiss her at all. "I'll see you in a few hours." Kaitlyn said.

"We'll talk more then." Sheamus said giving one last kiss to the top of her head before walking off towards their friends.

The group separating as most of the guys wandered off with Sheamus to get ready to leave in the bus. The only one left was AJ. She stepped over to where Kaitlyn sat unmoved. She frowned as she noticed the tears Kaitlyn was forcing back.

* * *

Punk was worried. He had tried calling Sheamus back, but got no answer. He tried calling AJ and Kaitlyn, but they still weren't answering their damn phones. He cursed as he tossed the phone into the passenger seat.

He was alone in the car. Colt was taking trips to Indy circuits and trying to get interviews for his podcast with some of the newer talent that had started coming up in the past years. He had hardly talk to Lita since the last time they saw each other it ended in a fight. He foot pressed hard to the gas. He swerved around a car that was barely going the speed limit. He continued to speed down the road keeping his eyes out for cops. The last thing he needed was a jackass cop trying to give him a ticket.

His phone started buzzing in the passenger seat. He snatched it up answering the call and putting whoever it was on speaker. "Hello." He called out speaker louder than usual so the phone mic could pick up his voice from the distance of his lap.

"Uncle Punk!" Skylar voice shouted through the phone. She sounded upset. "I want my mommy!"

"Where is she sweet-heart?" Punk asked calmly not wanting to make her anymore disturbed.

"Daddy left her!" Skylar cried.

Punk was legitimately confused. He wished Sheamus would have given him more information or at least answered his calls. "Sky, where is your daddy?"

"Outside the door." Skylar sniffed as she spoke.

"OK, can you give your daddy the phone?" Punk coaxed.

"I don't wanna see him." Sky huffed stubbornly.

"Close your eyes. And only open the door a little bit, just enough to give him the phone and then you can close it. Then while I talk to him blow your nose and clean your face. " Punk instructed.

"OK." Skylar agreed.

He heard rustling and some shouting along with the slam of a door. "Is this you Kaitlyn?" Sheamus' voice sighed.

"Sorry Sweetheart." Punk mocked. "So you wanna tell me where you are? Or better yet where Kaitlyn is?"

"I didn't wanna talk about this on the phone." Sheamus groaned. "I'm on the bus with Kofi and Zack. Kaitlyn and AJ are driving separately."

"What happened?" Punk urged.

"I'll tell you when we meet up." Sheamus said.

Before Punk could argue further he heard the beep of the calling ending alert. He groaned and tossed his phone back into the passenger seat. He glared at the road ahead of him and pressed harder on the gas petal.

* * *

Kaitlyn and AJ pulled into the rest stop parking lot. They had not talked much at all on the way. Kaitlyn was focused on thoughts of the damaged to her marriage and AJ was focused on how terribly she felt. AJ did not know what to do for Kaitlyn or Sheamus and the fact that she had actually talked to Wade and even though of him as a stepping stone to finding out what she wanted made her only feel worse and disgusted. She hated herself more that she could still not find a way to get out of her own problems and help her friend.

When they got out of the rental they found the group of guys waiting. Skylar jumped from her father's arms and ran straight to her mother, who lifted her up and held her tight. AJ watched as the small family came together like they weren't broken at all. She smiled lightly and stayed back not wanting to mix with the group.

She crossed her arms and merely observed as Skylar cried into her mother's chest. She picked out her phone and checked the time. They had a few more hours before they had to be at the arena. And luckily it was only about another couple hours away so they would have time to get the hotel and rest for a few minutes. She leaned against the car with a sigh.

"Auntie AJ!" Skylar called.

AJ smiled at the girl. Her mood had brightened instantly with the regrouping of her parents. The family came over towards the car. Now AJ could see the strained air between the two, both casting worried glances to one another as Skylar's back was turned. AJ forced a smile for the child not wanting to worry her. "Hey Sky." AJ greeted.

"You aren't gonna get mad at daddy, too?" Skylar asked looking worried and fearful that her family was falling apart.

AJ raised a confused brow. "Why would I get mad at your daddy?" AJ questioned. She looked at Sheamus, who guiltily looked away. Kaitlyn looked just as confused as she was.

Skylar answer came with the call of the one man that she was trying to run from, "Uncle Punk!"

* * *

**A/N: Not much to happen. I wanted it to end there and now that Punk has arrived is he going to focus on fixing Sheamus and Kaitlyn's breaking relationship or focus his efforts on winning back AJ?  
NOW! I have some ranting to do for all those who might be interested...Maybe not so much ranting, but expressing my opinions.  
First, Dolph Ziggler's cash in on WHC. I heard of a few that were upset with the timing of it and how it was taken from Alberto Del Rio, someone who hasn't gotten over that much yet. But I really don't think the cash in was planned in a way that was to hurt Dolph's career, but I think it was mostly to save WWE from the black mark they made with the feud between Swagger and Del Rio cause that angle had so much racial controversy that if Swagger won the championship from Del Rio then that could bring a whole hep of bad publicity that WWE could not afford as well as losing fans possibly. I think Ziggler is still set to have the championship for awhile hopefully and get to the greater level by defeating greater opponents.  
Second, John Cena...Really I'm glad he one the WWE Championship since if he lost again to the Rock on the grandest stage then he's career would be dead right now. And the new little feud with Ryback I think is good set up. Even though Ryback has been fairly dominate in the WWE I think some, myself included, don't see him being on that same level as Cena, Orton, Punk, or Sheamus who have held titles and been at the top.  
Third, Brock Lesnar. Not much here, but I just want him to get a new opponent. I for one am sick of Brock vs HHH. I'd rather him against Ryback or MArk Henry. Maybe the Shield taking him 3 on 1. Something different. He's only had matches with two people since his return after Wrestlemania last year!  
Foruth, Celtic Viper. I love bromance, love Sheamus and love Orton. But this tag-team needs to end! I saw tag-teams as a way to bring out characters by giving them someone to interact with. Sheamus and Orton don't need that, they don't need that push over with the fans and I hoping one of them turns on the other soon.[coughortoncoughheelcough]  
Last, but never least CM PUNK! Surely if you're still reading this story he must be one of your favorites just as he is one of mine. Probably my absolute favorite at this point. I hate that he lost to the Undertaker! I think he should have one! For one it would make up for the disrepect they did to him by having Rock not only end his 434 day Championship, but also that Rock unveilded the new WWE title that CM Punk had been advocating for since his return to WWE in 2011! But Monday Night of April 15th I was shaken by Punk's promo. I'm afraid of what is going to come next for his carrier...Hopefully it will be a year long build up like Rock and Cena with Punk and Stone Cold.  
**


End file.
